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HISTORY 



-OF- 



LAWRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS, 



-WITH- 



PORTRAITS AND BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 



-OF- 



F.X-MAYORS UP TO 1880 AND OTHER DISTINGUISHED CITIZENS, INCLUD- 
IN(; MANV BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL MEN NOW LIVING. 



COMPILED BY H. A. WADSWOirnR^ -c^, 

3 



printed by 
Hammon Reed ; Lawrence Eagle Steam Job Printing Office. 

For Sale by Albert Colby's Sons, 41 § Essex Street, Lawrence, and 

2/ Merrimack Street, Lowell, Massachusetts. 

1880. 



\'-jj ■ Vju . \aaJ -n 






MAYOR AND OTHER OFFICIALS 

of flic City of lAUOicme for tlic Year jS-jI). 

Mayor, 
] A M K S R . SI M P S ( ) N . 



Aldermen, 
JVard 7.—R. P. Danforth, JVan/ 2.— James G. Ahiioit, 

/Frt;v/ J.— John F. Cogswell, JVard ^.—George Sanhorn, 

JViird J.— John Abercrombie, M^ard d.—WM. T. McAlpine. 



Co J// ///on Co/i//.cil. 
H1-:NRV K. WEBSTER, President. 



IVai-ii One. 

James Moorehouse, 
Marcus W. Ccjpps, 

(iEORCJE VV. SlAEKORD. 

IFnrd Two. 

Andrew Sharpe, 
Charles Morrison, 
Charles A. McCakthv. 

Ward Three. 

Daniel E. McCarthy, 
Francis CJorman, 
James Murphy. 



Ward Fo/ir. 

Henry K. \Vebster, 
Merrill N. Howe, 
Charles H. Davis. 

Ward Five. 

John 1'hillips, 
John Paisley, Jk., 
C:harles H. Pean. 

Ward Six. 

M. A. McCormick, 
George S. William.s, 
Timothy Buckley. 



City C/tvX', James E. Shepard. 
T/ras/trer and Collector of Taxes, A. V. Bugbee. 

A/iditor, John E. Gushing. 
Siiperintrndent of Schools, Geo. A. Littlefield. 



PREFATO R V. 



In the preparation of this work, the author has sought to picture a 
fleeting phase of our city's Ufe. And let it be remembered that ev^ery 
point of time, each year, each month, each passing moment, marks 
some era begun, some event completed. 

In the history of our city we this year pass the mile -^tone which marks 
the quarter of a century. The motto is : "Go forward," but in doing 
so it is always well, at important turning points, to. take a retrospec- 
tive view, for there is much to be gained for the future through the ex- 
periences of the pust. 

A history is a record of deeds completed, but this book is not wholly 
that ; it is something more. It is a record book of the present. 
The student of the next century will conceive the active men of to-day, 
in connection with our city's history, as contemporaneous with those 
who were indeed the pioneers of our vast manufacturing enterprises. 
A record of to-day is but the record of our birth ; and it is fitting, it 
is well, before those who were first upon the scene shall have passed 
away, to put in tangible form for preservation, as near as possible their 
personal appearance, the battles they fought, and the victories they 
won in the van of progress and material growth. 



HISTORY. 



I. 

GEOGRAPHY AND TOPOGRAPHY. 



The city of Lawrence is the sixth city in population in the State of 
Massachusetts. In the year 1S75 there were 34,916, and it is safe to 
presume that at the present writing, (1878) were a census taken, it 
would show in excess of 38,000 persons. It lies in latitude 42 
degrees, 42 minutes, 57.67 seconds, longitude 71 degrees, 9 minutes, 
5.85 seconds west from Greenwich. Situated on the Merrimack River, 
twenty-six miles from its mouth, and is bounded as follows : North, by 
Methuen ; East, by North Andover ; South, by /\ndover ; West, by 
Andover and Methuen. Its area is 4,185 acres, of which 2,173 acres 
are situated on the north side, and 201 2 acres on the south side of the 
river. It is twenty-six miles north from Boston ; ten miles northeast 
from Lowell, and eight miles west from Haverhill. The Spicket 
River crosses the northern portion of the city and falls into the Mer- 
rimack within the city limits, while the Shawsheen, another important 
tributary, forms a portion of the southeast boundary, and unites its 
waters with the Merrimack in the town of North Andover. So much 
of the city as lies on the north side of the Merrimack River, was for- 
merly a part of the town of Methuen, and that on the south side was 
formerly a part of Andover. 



QUARTER-CENTE\NIAL HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 9 

The town of Lawrence was created by an Act of the Legislature, 
approved March 20, 1S45, as follows : 

Sect. i. All the territory now within the towns of Methuen and 
Andover, in the county of Essex, comprised within the following 
limits — that is to say, by a line beginning at the mouth of Shawsheen 
River, at its easterly bank, thence running southerly by said easterly 
bank to a stake at the bend in said river, a few rods westerly of the 
bridge, where it is crossed by the Salem Turnpike ; thence in a 
straight line westerly to a marked stone in the wall at the easterly cor- 
ner of the intersection of roads, by Jacob Barnard's house ; thence 
northerly in a straight line across Merrimack River, passing between 
the house of Asa Barker and that of Ebenezer Barker, on the Toiver- 
Hill Road, leading from Methuen to Lowell, to a stake about 2,150 
feet northerly from where the line crosses said road; thence north- 
easterly to a monument on the easterly side of Londonderry Turn- 
pike, passing a line northerly of the house of Abiel Stevens ; thencs 
easterly in a straight hne to a monument at the intersection of Law- 
rence street with the old road which runs easterly from Stevens' fac- 
tory towards Haverhill ; thence in a straight line easterly, passing 
north of William Swan's house through a monument about 400 feet 
south of the intersection of the roads near said Swan's house, to the 
line of the town of Andover, in Merrimack River ; thence running 
by the said line of Andover westerly, to the easterly bank of Shaw- 
sheen River, at the point of starting ; — is hereby incorporated into a 
town by the name of Lawrence : and the said town of Lawrence is 
hereby invested with all the privileges, powers, rights and immuni- 
ties, and subject to all the duties and requisitions to which other 
towns are entitled and subject, by the constitution and laws of this 
Commonwealth. 

Sect. 2. The town of Lawrence shall make and maintain all bridges 
for public highways over the Shawsheen River, so far as the easterly 
bank of said river is a boundary of the said town, including the ma- 
sonry of said bridges on the easterly bank thereof. 

Sect. 3. The inhabitants of the said town of Lawrence shall be 
holden to pay all arrears of taxes which have been legally assessed 
upon them by the towns of Methuen and Andover, respectively ; and 
all taxes heretofore assessed and not collected, shall be collected 



lO QUARTER-CENTENNIAL 

and paid to ihe treasurers of the towns of Methuen and Andover, 
respectively ; in the same manner as if this act had not been passed ; 
and also their proportion of county and state taxes that may be as- 
sessed upon them previously to the next state valuation — that is to 
say, two-thirds of the state and county taxes that may be assessed 
upon the town of Methuen, and one-eighth of the state and county 
taxes that may be assessed on the town of Andover, till the next 
state valuation. 

Sect. 4. The parts of the said town of Lawrence now belonging 
to the towns of Methuen and Andover for the purpose of electing 
state officers, senators, representatives to congress, and electors of 
president and vice president of the United States, until the next de- 
cennial census shall be taken, in pursuance of the 13th article of 
amendment to the constitution ; and the meetings for the choice of 
such representatives, and the other officers aforesaid, shall be called 
by the selectmen of the said towns, respectively ; the selectmen of 
Lawrence shall make a true list of persons belonging to the territory 
of each of said towns hereby incorporated into the town of Law- 
rence, qualified to vote at every such election, and the same shall be 
taken and used by the selectmen of said respective towns for such 
elections, in the same manner as if prei)ared Ijy themselves. 

Sect. 5. The said towns of Methuen, Andover and Lawrence 
shall be respectively liable for the support of all who now do, or 
shall hereafter, stand in need of relief as paupers, whose settlement 
was gained by, or derived from, a residence within their respective 
limits ; and the said town of Lawrence shall, within one year from 
the time of its organization under this act pay to the town of Me- 
thuen one thousand dollars as and for their just proportion of the 
debts of the town of Methuen, owing at the time of the passage of 
this act, exclusive of the amount of the surplus revenue of the 
United States in the treasury of the town of Methuen ; and the town 
of Lawrence shall also pay two-thirds of the amount of said surplus 
revenue whenever its repayment shall be demanded by the United 
States according to law ; and shall also pay to the town of Methuen 
the amount that said town shall pay for building LLiverhill street, 
so called, within the limits of said town of Lawrence, as ordered by 
the county commissioners for the county of Essex. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. II 

Sect. 6 Any justice of the peace in tlie county of Essex is here- 
by authorized to issue his warrant directed to any principal inhabi- 
tant of the town of Lawrence, requiring him to notify and warn the 
inhabitants thereof, qualified to vote in town affairs to meet at the 
time and place appointed, for the purpose of choosing all such town 
officers as towns are by law authorized and required to choose at 
their annual meetings ; and such justice, or, in his absence, such 
principal inhabitant shall preside till the choice of a moderator in 
said meeting. 

Sect. 7. This act shall take effect from and after its passage. 

Shortly after this act went into effect the necessary steps were taken 
to give it force, and on the 27th of April, 1847, the new town was 
ushered in, and officers elected to discharge the duties of the same, 
as provided by law. The rapid increase of population soon demand- 
ed further legislation, and in the year 1853, May loth, the voters of 
the then town of Lawrence accepted and put in force a city charter, 
which, with shght changes, remains the same to the present time. 



II. 

THE MERRIMACK RIVER. 



The Merrimack River from its source to the sea has a fall of some- 
thing over 5,000 feet. It affords therefore a vast system of mill 
powers, and gives aid to many kinds of industries, the chief being the 
manufacture of cotton and woolen fabrics. The amount of manu- 
facturing along this river is not equalled by that upon any other 
stream in the world. The Merrimack River was known and appre- 
ciated far and wide by the aborigines long before the white man 
bridled and harnessed its majestic falls. Nor is it to be wondered 
that they prized the numerous advantages it afforded. Capt. John 
Smith is given credit as being its discoverer, but it appears that 
DeChamplain, a French navigator, on the seventeenth of July 1605, 
with a crew of twenty sailors and several French gentlemen were 
first to enter the bay near where Newburyport now stands, and were 
therefore really the discoverers of the river. No permanent settle- 
ment was made, however, until about twenty years subsequent to this. 

The Merrimack River has its sjurce far up in the \Vhite Moun- 
tain region. The head waters are known as the eastern, western 
and middle branches, which unite in the town of Woodstock, N. H. 
The eastern branch is the largest, extending back from this place 
nearly fifty miles. Few people have undertaken to explore its head 
waters, and indeed they have their beginning in a wilderness of 
mountains and forests very little frequented.' A score of important 

12 



QUARTER-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 1 5 

tributaries find their way into it in its. flow to the sea, several of which 
have a history of their own of no mean significance. How long the 
Merrimack River has flowed substantially in its present channel to 
the sea, of course it is impossible to conjecture. J. W. Meader, in 
his book on the " Merrimack River," says : " Certain it is, that at 
some period, far in the dim, distant past, the river was one continu- 
ous chain of lakes, whose barriers being worn by water, ice, and 
drifting wood, have successively given way, until this whole system 
of collected waters was drained and ultimately reduced to and con- 
fined within its present banks. Extensive alluvial deposits indicate 
the former character of these waters, and their location and dimen- 
sions can still be distinctly traced, while far below the surface are 
found well-defined vegetable deposits, logs and other foreign mat- 
ter brought here and left, perhaps for evidence of these facts, far away 
from the present channel of the river. If more proof were needed, it 
is supplied by the pecuHar stratification of the soil, which is regarded 
by scientific men and geologists as conclusive on this point." But 
when the Merrimack first occupied the river bed substantially as at 
present, geologists do not attempt to say. 

Far beyond the memory of man or historic date, the Indians 
held full sway upon its banks, but civilization at last found a foothold 
here. The first partial survey of the Merrimack River, disclosing 
its inestimable value and importance for manufacturing purposes, it 
may, perhaps, be said cast the die. From this time forth the red 
man made his compulsory bow to the inexorable logic of events, and 
facing westward with steady advance, — his speed frequently acceler- 
ated by the uncomfortable and dangerous proximity of the white 
man, his last remaining hope to reach the land of the sunset, — he 
left this river and this land, the home of his boyhood and his man- 
hood, his only patrimony, and the sacred resting place of ancestral 
dust. It was useless for him to struggle against the decree of fate ; 
and so he left all of these, and the sceptre of his wilderness empire 



14 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 

fell from his grasp, his crown tumbled, his ancient power and heredi- 
tary rule and supreme kingly prerog-itives were stripped from him, 
and he was sent forth a beggar, an outcast and a vagabond, to be a 
stranger in a strange land. Thus departed the aboriginal proprietor, 
and the march of intellect, enterprise, skill, industry and progress 
supplanted him. 

\\'^ith the white man came cultivation and improvement. The vig- 
orous stroke of the woodman's axe resounded through the forests, 
roads were made, the log-house and the school-house sprung into ex- 
istence almost together, the little church reared its tapering spire, as 
if pointing out to sinful man the way to heaven, to God. The sawmill 
creaked and grated in harsh, unmusical cadence in many localities 
along the lesser tributaries of the Merrimack. Hamlets grew to vil- 
lages, villages to towns and towns to cities. Skill, labor and 
capital, that all-powerful triumvirate, united their fortunes and inter- 
ests for the mutual benefit of all. The pioneers pushed steadily up 
the river, transforming nature's bounties into wealth on every hand. 
Even the rough uninviting localities at length became the most fruit- 
ful vineyards. Enterprises sprung up involving the employment of 
millions of capital and thousands of people, as if by magic. Every 
valley and hill within the radius of this river's salutary influence pro- 
duced its complement of beautiful and noble women, as well as great, 
good and brave men ; and this river gave to the manufacturers along 
its course an opulence of fame for the unequalled variety, quality and 
value of their products, which is the property and just pride of the 
nation. 



THE INDIANS. 



The Indians at the time of their discovery by the Europeans were 
a race different from any people then known. They were wandering 
everywhere through the length and breadth of the country. No ac- 
curate statement can be given of their numbers, though the best 
authenticated accounts compute the number in New England at the 
time of the settlement in Jamestown, Va., 1607, at 123,000, but in the 
winter of 161 7, three years before the landing of the Pilgrims, the plague 
or some other mortal disease, broke out among them and almost depop- 
ulated the country. When the Pilgrims landed in 1620, they saw but 
few Indians for some days and they were flying from them. Greatly to 
their comfort and convenience they found deserted wigwams and 
some corn, which was in good demand among the immigrants. The 
plague that had two or three years previous depopulated the country 
seems to have been providential to the early settlers. The number 
of Indians however left scattered about in what is now Massachu- 
setts was not much less than 10,000 or 12,000. In Rhode Island 
about 8,000 and in New Hampshire about 4,000. The whole num- 
ber of warriors in New England is estimated at 12,000 at the time of 
the arrival of our ancestors. The features of these New England 
Indians were good, especially those of the women ; their hair bright 
and straight, their limbs clean, straight, and well proportioned. They 
were quite ingenious in their way ; were quick of apprehension ; sud- 
den in despatch ; subtle in their dealings ; ready in invention, and in 
labor assiduous. They had wigwams, or cabins, to protect them from 
the weather. These were built by uniting poles at the top, and in- 
serting them in the ground at suitable distance. These were covered 

15 



1 6 QUARTER-CEXTEXMAL 

with bark, houghs of trees, or skins except an aperture at the top for 
smoke, and a small place for entrance at the sides. The fire was 
huilt in the centre ; the ground around the fire was covered with 
mats, skins or boughs, as they could afford. They used no chairs, but 
sat on this covering, and had no need for a ta])le. They slept with 
their feet towards the fire. A whole family, and sometimes more, 
were accommodated in one of these cabins, which had but one room. 
They were commonly located near good water. They had skins for 
clothing when the English came among them, from which they made 
moccasins for their feet. They often caught fish with a kind of 
spear. They used bows and arrows for hunting and for defence. 
The end of the arrow was pointed with flint stone. These points 
have been frequently found in the fields in this vicinity long since the 
Indians departed. They made canoes of bark taken from large 
birch trees. This was sewed together with fibres or roots. It was 
j)ut in proper shape and strengthened by ribs or thin pieces of wood, 
and a rim, like the top of a basket, was fastened all around it and 
bound with tough bark or fibres of roots. It was daubed with pitch 
to prevent leaking. With these canoes they could pass up and down 
or across the rivers, and they were large enough to carry several per- 
sons. They were light and might be carried with ease around water 
falls, or from one stream to another. 

The Merrimack River, (Called Menomack by the Indians, from 
Mena, an island, and awke, a place, from the number of beautiful 
islands in the river), furnished a locality greatly admired by the In- 
dians. They were certainly great admirers of the beautiful and grand 
in nature, and the numerously settled localities and names of tribes 
upon the river and its tributaries, give incontestible proof of this. 
" As the artisan, mechanic, manufacturer and capitalist of modern 
times learned the adaptation and capacity of this river as a motive 
l)ower and congregated about its falls, — constructing dams to catch 
the water on its journey down, erecting monster mills with massive 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 1 7 

six-Story brick walls, building populous cities and beautiful villages, 
fabricating unsurpassed cotton and woolen goods, machinery and 
implements, — sc did the red man of primitive days learn the pecu- 
liar fitness of this river for supplying his necessities and wants, equal- 
ly as pressing and urgent as those of his more civilized successors." 
Along the banks of the river in this vicinity especially on the Andover 
side was a favorable resort for their mode of Hfe. There was plenty 
of fish in the river and numerous streams running into it ; the fight 
land near the water was suitable for the cultivation of corn and 
beans, and the forests afforded abundant game. In the fishing sea- 
son the Indians caught a great many fish by a sort of scoop net ; 
only the salmon were kept for food while the remainder were used 
for manure on the land. It was a festival season with them ; the 
squaws preparing fish for the repast, for preservation, and for barter, 
while the night was passed in feasting and dancing. At these fishing- 
seasons, lovers' vows were plighted, marriages were consummated, 
speeches made and treaties formed. Particular periods and impor- 
tant events were noted and celebrated among them with great cere- 
mony. Among the estabhshed institutions or customs may be men- 
tioned the Recruiting, or Fire Brand Dance. When the declaration 
of war had been announced by the chief, a great fire was built of 
brushwood, pine knots, and sticks near the wigwam, and — 

By the red suu's parting glance, 

They gathered for the warrior's dance ; 

First in a circle wide they stand, 

Each with an arrow in his hand ; 

Then crouching, and with bended bow, 

They step to measure light and slow ; 

Now quicker with a savage flurry, 

They circle round and hurry, hurry, 

Now the ring brealis, and leaping, yelling, 

In one discordant chorus swelling ; 

Then tomahawks are brandished high ; 

Their shouts re-echo from the sky ; 

Their blood stained nostrils opened wide, 

Their foaming lips all dark and gory, 

Make up the red man's scene of glory.— StorA;. 



1 8 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL 

At the time of the first settlements on the Merrimack River, the 
most powerful and important tribe along its banks were the Penna- 
cooks. Their headquarters were on the river near where Concord, 
New Hampshire, is now built. Their great chief was Passaconnaway. 
He had conquered and subdued all the tribes on the river, and all in 
some manner paid tribute to him. The Agawams inhabited the river 
East below tide water, having their homes from the Merrimack to 
the Cape. The Pentuckets owned and occupied the Merrimack 
from " Little River " in Haverhill to Pawtucket Falls at Lowell, then 
came the VVamesits, Nashua, Souhegan, Namoskeag, Winnipesaukee, 
and several other tribes. There is no evidence showing that any 
particular tribe had a home in Methuen, but it is certain that 
Bodwells Falls, now Lawrence dam, and the shores of the Spicket 
were favorite resorts, especially in the fishing season. On the An- 
dover side, a company of the Pentuckets with a chief known as 
Roger, had a settlement near Cochickewick Brook. Some writers 
have located the ancient seat of the Agawams at Bodwells Falls, and 
at this place came to reside the Princess of the House of Penna- 
cook, the daughter of Passaconnaway, who was wedded to Winne- 
purket, a sachem of Saugus. " The Poet of the Merrimack " has 
commemorated this event by a poem in which he characterizes the 
groom as the " dog of the marshes." The union was not a happy 
one, and an estrangement soon sprung up which came near resulting 
in war, and likely would, had not the " pale faces " appeared upon 
the stage about this time. 

As has been above stated, the great warrior and chieftain of the 
■■. Merrimack at the time of the first settlement was Passaconnaway, 
whose home was well up the head waters of the river. He was a 
friend to the white settlers and desired peace, and the residents along 
the river were never disturbed by Indian depredations during his life. 
He resigned his power as Grand Sachem of the tribes in 1660 to 
Wonolancet, about twenty years after the first white settlements upon 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 1 9 

the river. His successor afterwards became converted to Christianity 
by the great Indian missionary Eliot, but notwithstanding this, he 
and his tribe received most cruel and inhuman treatment at the 
hands of the approaching settlers. The farewell address of Pas- 
saconnaway, who lived to be over 80 years old, well conveys to the 
reader of to-day the feelings that inspired the breasts of the aborig- 
ines. On a given day, he called around him the leading warriors, 
chiefs and principals of his tribes and thus addressed them : — 

" Hearken to the words of your father. I am an old oak that has 
withstood the storms of more than a hundred winters. Leaves and 
branches have been stripped from me by winds and frosts ; my eyes 
are dim — my limbs totter — I must soon fall. But when young and 
sturdy, when my bow — no young man of the Pennacooks could bend 
it ; when my arrows would pierce a deer at a hundred yards, and I 
could bury my hatchet in a sapling to the eye, no wigwam had so many 
furs, no pole so many scalps as Passaconnaway's. Then I delighted 
in war. The whoop of the Pennacooks was heard upon the Mohawk, 
and no voice so loud as Passaconnaway's. The scalps upon my pole 
in the wigwam told the story of Mohawk suffering. The English came, 
they seized our lands. I sat me down at Pennacook. They followed 
upon my footsteps. I made war upon them, but they fought me with 
fire and thunder ; my young men were swept down before me when 
no one was near them. I tried sorcery against them ; but they still 
increased, and prevailed over me and mine, and I gave place to them 
and retired to my beautiful island of Natticook. I that can make the 
dry leaf turn green and live again, — I that can take the rattlesnake in 
my palm as I would a worm, without harm, — I, who had communica- 
tion with the Great Spirit, dreaming and awake, — I am powerless be- 
fore the pale-faces. The oak will soon break before the whirlwind ; it 
shivers and shakes even now ; soon its trunk will be prostrate ; the ant 
and the worm will sport upon it ! Then think, my children of what I 
say. I commune with the Great Spirit. He whispers me now : — 

"'Tell your people, peace, peace is the only hope of your race. I 
have given fire and thunder to the pale-faces for weapons. I have 
made them plentier than the leaves of the forest, and still shall they 
increase ! These meadows they shall turn with the plow ; these forests 
shall fall by the axe ; the pale-faces shall live upon your hunting 



20 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 

grounds, and make their villages upon your fishing-places.' The 
Great Spirit says this, and it must be so ! We are few and powerless 
before them ! We must bend before the storm ! The wind blows 
hard ! The old oak trembles ! Its branches are gone ! Its sap is 
frozen ! It bends ! It falls ! Peace, peace with the white men, is 
the command of the Great Spirit, and the wish — the last wish — of 
Passaconnaway." 



IV. 
EARLY SETTLERS. 



In the year 1640 eight men belonging to the colony at Newbury, 
named WilHam White, Samuel Gile, James Davis, Henry Palmer, John 
Robinson, Christopher Massey, John Williams and Richard Littlehale, 
together with four men from the Ipswich settlement, named Abraham 
Tyler, Daniel Ladd, Joseph Merrie and Jacob Clement being " strait- 
ened " for tillage and grass land, proceeded up the Merrimack River 
as far as " Little River," a tributary, that rises in Plaistow and empties 
into the Merrimack a few miles below Mitchell's Falls. Here they 
founded a settlement and called it Haverhill. They adopted the same 
course towards the Indians as did other New England settlers — that 
of purchasing of the rightful owners, as near as could be ascertained, 
the land they wished to occupy. A few of the remnants of the 
Pentucket tribe were scattered about this locality. The settlers 
sought out their chiefs, and two years after, the following deed was 
drawn, signed and acknowledged, which is now in possession of the 
city of Haverhill : 

" Know all Men by these Presents, that we Passaquo and Sag- 
gahew, with y*^ consent of Passaconnaway, have sold unto y'' inhabi- 
tants of Pentuckett all y'^ lands we have in Pentuckett ; that is eyght 
myles in length from y'" little Rivver in Pentuckett Westward ; Six 
myles in length from y" aforesaid Rivver northward ; And six myles in 
length from y^ aforesaid Rivver Eastward, with y*" Ileand and y*" rivver 

21 



22 QUARTER-CENl'ENNIAL 

that y^' ileand stand in as far in length as y'' land lyes by as formerly 
expressed ; that is fourteen m3'les in length ; 

And wee y'' said Passaquo and Sagga Hew, with y" consent of 
Passaconnaway, have sold unto y'' said inhabitants all y'' right wee or 
any of us have in y*" said ground and Ileand and Rivver ; 

And we warrant it against all or any other Indians whatsoever unto 
y' said Inhabitants of Pentuckett, and to their heirs and assigns forever. 
Dated y'' fifteenth day of november Ann Dom 1642. 

Witness our hands and seales to this bargayne of sale y*" day and 
year above writted (in y*^ presents of us) we y*^ said Passaquo and 
Sagga Hew have received in hand, for & in consideration of y*^ same 
three pounds & ten shillings. 

JOHN WARD, 

ROBERT CLEMENTS, T.^c^c^^^..rr. ^'^ ^^^^^^ of 

TRISTRAM COFFIN, PASSAQUO (a ^^^^l 
HUGH SHERRATT, , ^ ' . 

WILLIAM WHITE, ye marke of 

„ . ' ,, SAGGA HEW (a bow uu<l anow) 

ye sign of a) SAGGA HEW. [seal." 

THOMAS DAVIS. 

It is impossible to determine with any degree of definiteness the 
boundaries of the territory intended to be conveyed by this deed, nor 
is it to be supposed that the purchasers cared much, except that they 
got possession of the land on the Merrimack for a dozen miles. More 
than twenty years elapsed before any survey was attempted. In the 
year 1666 the General Court appointed a committee to "run the 
bounds of the town of Haverhill." They began at the meeting-house, 
which was situated about a half-mile east of Little River, and ran due 
west eight miles and reared "a heap of stones," which point must be 
a little west of Salem Village. They then ran from that point due south 
till they struck the Merrimack River near Pine Island, a little way from 
the Bartlett Farm, three miles above this city. Thence northeasterly 
by the river, till they reached the point of beginning. The land on 
the northwest, between Methuen and Dracut, a strip about a mile and 
a half wide, was deeded by the General Court to individuals. 




ISAAC TEWKSBURY, 

Physician and Surgeon ; office and residence, 295 Essex Street. Born at 
West Newbury, Jan. 13, 1795 ; brought up on a farm and educated at 
Atkinson Academy and Hel)ron Academy, Oxford, Me. Was clerk in 
stores and offices at Newburyport, Portland and New York for a short 
time, then studied medicine with Drs. Robinson of Newbury, Tewks- 
bury of Hebron, Maine, Little of Gloucester, Me., and Kittredge of 
Andover. Commenced practice at Hampstead, N. H., 1S17, remain- 
ing 30 years in practice without vacation or sickness. Came to Law- 
rence in 1847. Married Sabra Foster, at Hudson, N. H., 1822, and 
Widow Harriet W. Smith, Lawrence, for his second wife, 1S59 ; has 
•six children. Is a member of the C'ongregational church, Hampstead. 
Dr. Tewksbury is the oldest man in active business in Lawrence and 
has been in the continuous practice of his profession sixty-one years. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 23 

* The uplands at that time were mostly covered by a heavy growth 
of timber, except an occasional spot burned over by fires set by the 
Indians. The meadows were, many of them, cleared and covered with 
a tall dense growth of grass. The Indians were accustomed to burn 
the grass in the fall, that they might more easily capture the deer re- 
sorting to them to feed upon the young grass in the spring. These 
meadows appear to have been much sought after by the early settlers, 
who obtained from them the principal subsistence for their cattle. 
They cut and stacked the hay in the summer, and in winter drew it 
home on sleds. An early writer says of Haverhill : "The people were 
wholly bent to improve their labor in tilling the earth and keeping of 
cattle, whose yearly increase encourages them to spend their days in 
those remote parts. The constant penetrating into this wilderness 
hath caused the wild and uncouth wood to be filled with frequented 
ways, and the large rivers to be overlaid with bridges passable 
both for horse and foot ; this town is of large extent, there being 
an overweaning desire in most men after meadow land," &:c. The 
records of the town of Haverhill show that no one was admitted to the 
rights and privileges of the colony unless first voted in by the town. 

The lands were divided among the inhabitants in accordance with 
a vote " That he who had ;^200 should have twenty acres for his house 
lot, and every one under that sum to have ten acres proportioned for 
his house lot, together with meadow and common and planting ground 
proportionately." 

Lot-layers were chosen by the town to divide the land among the 
inhabitants as it was cleared up or became accessible. From this mode 
of division it happened that one man would own a number of small 
lots scattered over the whole town. It is now very difficult to exactly 
locate the lots as they are recorded in the Haverhill records, because 
they were usually bounded only by marked trees. These descriptions 
show that some of our local names were of very ancient date. In 

* Howe's History of Mcthuen. 



24 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL 

1673, thirty-two acres of land were laid off to John Clements, bound- 
ed by "Sowe's Brook." In 1678, "eleven score acres of upland" 
were laid off to James Davis, Sen., bounded on the west by Spicket 
River, Spicket Falls being the southwest bound. In 1683, there is 
a record of a similar lot lying on the southerly side, running to 
" Bloody Brook on the east, and taken up by James Davis, Jr. These 
lots included the land now occupied by the east part of Methuen vil- 
lage. 

In 1658 five acres of meadow were laid off in "Strongwater," near 
a "little pond." In 1666 a parcel of meadow was laid out to Mat- 
thias Button, on the south side of "Spicket Hill." In 1659 there was 
a division of the land west of the Spicket River, with a provision that 
"if more than two acres meadow be found in any one lot it shall re- 
main to the town. In the same year there is a record of the laying off 
three acres of land in "Mistake Meadow" in the west part of Haver- 
hill, whence it is concluded the name originated in somebody's blunder, 
and has become "Mystic." The distribution of common lands was 
continued from time to time, until finally, after much contention be- 
tween the old settlers and new comers, the " Proprietors," or owners 
of the common land, organized separately from the town and disposed 
of the remaining land as they saw fit. David Nevins, Escp, of Me- 
thuen, has in his possession a grant from the "proprietors," of the 
islands in the Spicket above the falls, to Asa and Robert Swan, for 
j[^2 loj-., and bearing the date of 1721. 

No record can be found showing when the first settlement was made 
within the limits of Methuen, or who made it. It is certain that the 
east and south parts of the town, near the river, were first occupied, 
doubtless because they were nearer the villages of Haverhill and 
Andover. It is stated by Asa Simonds, Esq., that when repairing the 
old "Bodwell house" — now in Lawrence — some years ago, a brick 
was found bearing the date 1660, which had been marked upon it 




ARTEMAS W. STEARNS, 

Dry Goods Dealer, 309 Essex St., the first dry goods dealer in the 
city. Residence, No. 7 Lowell Street. He came to Lawrence in 
1846, from Methuen. Born at Hill, N. H., 1816. Educated at acad- 
emies in New Market and Nashua. Mr. Stearns had a store in a brick 
block on Amesbury St., two years ; on Merchants' Row, three years ; 
where Taylor & Dow now occupy, three years. Euilt his j)resent store 
in 1853 ; enlarged in 1877-8. Mr. Stearns has the largest dry 
goods store in the county ; employs 75 hands in its various depart- 
ments. He has also a farm of 60 acres on Lawrence St. Is presi- 
dent of the Lawrence National Bank ; treasurer of the Wright Manuf'g 
Co. ; director and heaviest stockholder in the M. V. H. R. R., trustee 
Broadway Savings Bank, and meml)cr board of investment. Married 
Lydia Searles of Nashua, N. H. ; no children. Attends Central 
Congregational Church. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 25 

before the brick was burnt. This would seem to indicate that a house 
was built in the neighborhood near that date. 

It is not unlikely that further inquiry may fix the date and place of 
the first settlement here with considerable certainty. It seems doubt- 
ful whether there were many settlers in Methuen until near the time 
it was set off from Haverhill. It is likely that the Indian troubles 
which extended over many years previous to 1 700, seriously checked, 
if they did not entirely prevent, the settlement on farms. Andover 
and Haverhill were made frontier towns by act of General Court, and 
both towns suffered severely during the Indian war. But there 
is no record of any Indian attack upon settlers living upon territory 
which afterwards became Methuen. Inhere were many attacks on the 
scattered settlers in West Haverhill and in Andover, and if there had 
been many inhabitants in Methuen, it is hardly probable that the 
Indians would have passed them by. 

In 1722, a petition was presented to the town of Haverhill by per- 
sons living in what is now Methuen, to be set off as a separate town 
or parish. This petition was not granted. The next year Joshua Swan 
and 26 others, with shrewd foresight, petitioned the town of Haver- 
hill to " set off fifty or sixty acres of land southwest of Bare Meadow, 
together with a piece of land lying on a hill commonly called Meeting 
House Hill in times past, reserved by our forefathers for the use of the 
ministry, might in hard times make a convenient parsonage, if by the 
blessing of God the gospel might so flourish amongst us, and we grow 
so prosperous as to be able to maintain and carry on the gospel min- 
istry amongst us." This petition was granted at the next town meet- 
ing, but it did not serve to make the petitioners less intent upon a 
separation. Soon after, Lieut. Stephen Barker and other inhabitants 
of the western part of Haverhill, petitioned the General Court for an 
act to incorporate them into a new town. The act passed in Decem- 
ber, 1725, and was soon carried into effect. 



26 QUARTEK-CENTEXNIAL 

Unfortunately at the outset, a bitter quarrel sprang up conceming 
the location of the meeting-house. On the 28th of May, 1726, a 
nneeting was called to "prefix" a place whereon to build a meeting- 
house. Twenty-eight persons voted in favor of locating the house 
"between James Davis's and Samuel Smith's house" (Powder House 
Hill,) twenty-two entered their "dissent against the meeting-house 
being carried from the meeting-house land or hill, so called," — the Lind 
which had been granted by Haverhill two years before — and supported 
their "dissent" by a quaint and vigorous argument. The dispute waxed 
hot, meeting after meeting was held, votes to provide labor and ma- 
terial weie carried and reconsidered, but the majority finally prevailed 
and the new meeting-house was raised and boarded on "Powder House 
hill." Tlie minority, however, were determined not to be beaten, 
and petitioned the (General Court to reverse the popular decision. 
The committee appointed by the Court to visit the place concluded 
that the parsonage lot 'was the properest place for the meeting-house 
to stand,' so the minority were victorious, and in May, 1727, the town 
voted to remove the frame to the place where the Court ordered it 
should stand. 

The town records show that the Sunday services, as well as the 
town meetings, were held at the house of Asie Swan until the meeting 
house was ready for occupancy. Asie Swan seems to have been a 
man 'prominent in those days,' and his house is said to have been 
situated a little east of Prospect hill. The meeting-house was "forty 
feet long, thirty feet wide, and twenty feet stud." There was but one 
pew, and that for the minister's family, the congregation generally 
being seated on benches. There were no means of heating the house 
in cold weather, until within the recollection of persons now living, 
and in the cold winter mornings the humble worshipers must have 
needed a fiery discourse to make them comfortable. It is said that 
there was a tavern in those days on the " Frye place " to which the 
meeting goers usually resorted at noon, where they found a kettle of 




JAMES DAY HERRICK, 

Boot and Shoe Merchant, 139 Essex St. Residence, 356 Haverhill 
St., corner of Franklin St. Has been a resident of Lawrence from its 
organization. Was born in Derry, N. H., April 20, 18 10. Worked 
on his father's farm imtil nineteen years of age. Attended school at 
South Reading, Phillips Academy at Andover, and Dartmouth College, 
Hanover, N. H., five years and one half. Taught district school until 
1846, when he commenced taking toll at the Andover l)ridge. Mar- 
ried Miss Louisa Robinson May 1 7, 1848, and continued in the employ 
of the Andover Bridge Co. twenty-two years, during which time he 
was frecjuently elected to the most responsible offices in the gift of the 
city : Chief of Police, City Assessor, Chief Engineer of the Fire De- 
partment, member of the Board of Aldermen, but oftener as one of 
the Board of School Committee. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 27 

hot water ready, and plenty of spiritual comfort less etherial than 
that which they received within the sacred edifice. 

The first road laid out by the Town of Methuen extended from 
somewhere on " Hawkes Meadow brook to James Howe's well," and 
was probably a part of Howe Street north of the Taylor farm. The 
records of the town of Haverhill show that previous to that time a 
large number of town ways had been laid out in the west part of the 
town — probably for convenience in reaching the meadows and wood- 
land. 

The roads of those days were probably little better than an ordi- 
nary cart path in the woods. Occasionally may be found a record of 
money paid to the owners of land over which a public way passed, 
but no money appears to have been paid by the town for building. 
In fact scarcely more than a path was necessary, for there were no 
vehicles but ox carts and sleds. People traveled on horseback and 
went to market with their goods in saddlebags. Indeed it is said by 
persons now living in this vicinity that within their recollection there 
were no wagons of any kind, or pleasure carriages except a few 
chaises, which were introduced about the beginning of the century. 

An old tax book among the town records, shows that the number of 
persons taxed in Methuen in 1740, was 165, of which 71 lived in that 
part of the town cut off by the New Hampshire line, and 85 in the 
present limits of Methuen. 

The fact that strikes one most forcibly in reading over the early town 
records, is the prominence given to rehgious observances. The chief 
and only reason given for setting off the new town was that the people 
might more easily attend the public worship of God. The first business 
done was to provide themselves a minister and place of public worship. 
Their principal money tax was for support of those objects. Nothing 
could show more plainly that the hardy pioneers of Methuen were of 
genuine Puritan stock. Whatever may be thought of Puritan austerity 
and fanaticism and intolerance, one cannot help admiring the indomi- 



28 QUARTER-CENTENXIAL 

table energy, the iron will, and lofty purpose of those men w ho braved 
the dangers of hostile Indians, and suffered the privations of the wil- 
derness, that they might worship God in their own way. The old 
papers which have been preserved, the town records, and the old tra- 
ditions all show that the first settlers in Methuen were men of rugged, 
vigorous intellect, accustomed to think for themselves, and not afraid 
to express their opinions. 

The number of inhabitants in Methuen in 1776, according to the 
Colonial Census, was 1326. The old tax book of that year gives the 
names of 252 poll-tax payers. 'J'his was at the breaking out of the 
revolutionary war, and let it be remembered that Methuen at the first 
call for soldiers to protect themselves against the British, with only 252 
poll-tax payers, sent 156 men. They had no opportunity to meet the 
red coats till the battle of Bunker Hill, at which the Methuen com- 
pany, under Capt. John Davis, bore an important part. 

Up to the year 1 793 there were no bridges across the Merrimack 
River in this vicinity, and ferries furnished the only means of crossing. 
There were five of these as follows : "Gage's Ferry," near the house 
of Samuel Cross; "Swan's Ferry," at Wingate's Farm ; "Marston's 
Ferry," at the alms house, Lawrence ; "Bodwell's Ferry," at the Law- 
ence pumping station; " Harris' Ferry," a little east of Dracut line. 

The territory now comprising Ward Six, south side of the river, was 
formerly a part of Andover. The first settlers of this town did not 
migrate up the Merrimack. In 1634, four years after the first plant- 
ing of Charlestown and Boston, those of Newtown, now Cambridge, 
complained of straitness for want of land, and desired leave of the 
Court to look out for enlargement, or removal, which w^as granted. 
They then " Sent men to Merrimack to find a fit place to transplant 
themselves." In the same year the following order of the Court 
was passed : 

" It is ordered that the land about Cochickewick be reserved for 
an inland plantation, and whosoever shall go there to inhabit shall 




AARON ORDWAY, 



Was born at Hebron, N. H., May 4, i<Si4. Came to Lawrence Mar., 
1847. establishing himself in business as an apothecary and in practice 
as a physician. This business and profession he followed for about 
twenty-four years. Eight years since he retired from practice, but is 
active as president and a principal owner and director in Brown's 
Lumber Co. of Whitefield, N. H. He is also president of the newly 
organized Whitefield & Jefferson R. R. Co. His father was a hardy 
pioneer settler of Hebron, N. H., living to the ripe age of 93. His 
uncle, John Ordway, was clerk and historian of the Lewis and Clark 
U. S. Exploring Expedition. In early life Dr. Ordway had only the 
advantages of a common school education, and for several years be- 
fore coming to Lawrence was engaged in mercantile business, and for 
three years in the practice of medicine. Alderman in 1857 and 1858. 
Has been twice married and has four children. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 29 

have three years immunity from all taxes, levies, public charges and 
services whatsoever, military discipline only excepted." 

It is difficult to ascertain the time of the first settlement in Ando- 
ver. The land was purchased of Cutshamache, the Sagamore of 
Massachusetts, by Mr. Woodbridge, for six pounds and a coat in be- 
half of the inhabitants. This purchase was confirmed by the Court 
in 1646. The first settlements were made upon the Cochickewick 
and Shawsheen. All of the early settlers were born in Great Britain 
and most of them in England. On a leaf of the town records of 
Andover the following list is written in ancient hand, without date, 
but probably when most of the first settlers were living : 

" The names of all the householders in order as they came to town : 
Mr. Bradstreet, John Osgood, Joseph Parker, Richard Barker, John 
Stevens, Nicholas Holt, Benj. Woodbridge, John P'rye, Edmund 
Faulkner, Robert Barnard, Daniel Poor, Nathan Parker, Henry 
Jaques, John Aslett, Richard Blake, William Ballard, John Lovejoy, 
Thomas Poor, George Abbott, John Russ, Andrew Allen, Andrew 
Foster, Thomas Chandler." 

Such portions of land as were necessary for the use of the settlers 
were, from time to time, set off to individuals in proportion to the 
expenses or taxes paid by each, and their several divisions recorded 
in the town book. When a person moved into town for the purpose 
of settling, land was sold to him by the town and he was received as 
a commoner, or proprietor. The business was conducted in this 
manner for more than fifty years. The first divisions were made in 
small lots, few of them exceeding ten acres plough land, and land not 
easy of tillage, was granted at a distance on the plains ; swamp or 
meadow land for hay, and woodland often at quite a distance away. 
This method of laying off farms has rendered them very inconvenient 
and much inconvenience from this early division remains to this date, 
very few farms of considerable size being compact. 

To show the tastes, temper and disposition of these early settlers 



30 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL- 

a few acts of the town of Andover as put upon record are here given : 

" 1660. — The town looking into consideration the great damage 
that may come to the town by persons Hving remote upon such lands 
as were given them for ploughing and planting, and so by their liogs 
and cattle destroy the meadows adjoining thereunto, have ordered, 
and do hereby order, that whatsoever inhabitant or other shall build 
any dwelling house in that part of the town but upon house lots, and 
other places granted for that end, without express leave from the 
town shall forfeit 20 shillings a month for the time he shall live on 
any such prohibited place, — the town having given house lots to build 
on to all such as they have received as inhabitants of the town. 

1664. — Attendance of every voter was required, and every neglect 
to come to the town meeting at the day and time appointed subject- 
ed the delinquent to a forfeiture of 12 pence. 

1672. — It is ordered that whatsoever dogs shall be in the meeting 
house on the Sabbath day, the owner thereof shall pay 6 pence for 
every time being there, and G. A. Jr., is appointed to take notice 
thereof and have the pay for his pains and to gather it up. 

1680. — It was voted and agreed upon that if any person whether 
male or female, shall sit in any other place in the meeting house 
than where they are appointed by the committee shall forfeit for every 
such offense for the use of the town twenty pence, to be forthwith 
gathered by the constable by order of said committee and if the con- 
stable faileth to do as abovesaid to pay said sum himself. 

16S9. — Ordered by the selectmen that no persons entertain others 
in their houses after 9 o'clock in the evening without warrantable busi- 
ness, on penalty of five shillings. No young persons to be abroad 
on Saturday or Sunday nights, nor people to entertain on these nights 
in the like penalty, — persons unseasonably away from their own 
homes exposed to the same forfeiture. The tithingmen were requir- 
ed to examine and report the breaches of these orders. 

1695. — Two persons were appointed by the Selectmen to sit in the 
galleries to inspect the young on the Sabbath and were required to 
notify disorderly persons to the minister." 

The settlers of Andover during these years had much trouble with 
the Indians. Shortly after Passaconnaway's death in 1660 a war 
sprung up between the Indians and the whites which was waged at 




ASA M. BODWELL, 



Farmer, — " to the manor born," living upon the estate of his ances- 
tors, now comprising 190 acres. Mr. Bodwell has sold considerable 
of the original estate, including the site of the city reservoir, and has 
also added several parcels. He was born in 18 12, and has spent his 
life upon the old homestead, excepting a few years passed at the west 
in early manhood ; has never married. He received the educational 
advantages offered by the common schools of this valley fifty years 
years ago. About four years ago he moved the old wooden house 
of his ancestors and erected the fine brick edifice. No. 589 Haverhill 
Street, where he now resides. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 3 1 

intervals till the year 1696. Subsequent to this date Andover was 
not a frontier town, and no depredations by the Indians in this vicin- 
ity are reported. During the next century and a quarter the sturdy 
yeomanry on either side of the river moved on in the even tenor of 
their way, little dreaming of the changes the next century would pro- 
duce. After the factories had been set in motion in Lowell, people 
about here began to wonder whether Bodwell's Falls and other rapids 
in the river near them could and would ever be utilized. At one 
time about the year 1825, as Dr. Isaac Tewksbury was riding over 
Phillips Hill in company with Dr. Kittredge, of North Andover, they 
halted and took a bird's eye survey of this valley and remarked upon 
the feasibility and probability of a future city. At that time there 
were not over 200 persons residing in the territory now comprising 
the city of Lawrence. 

A * writer of the Old Residents' Association says, that no church 
spire pointed to heaven in this valley ; only three school buildings, 
of limited capacity, with primitive accommodations, stood within 
present city limits. There was no hum of machinery excepting the 
simple movements of the small paper and grist mills on the lower 
Spicket and the activity at Stevens' workshop, on the site of the Ar- 
lington Mills. But here was the waterfall, the noble sweep of river, 
the lesser streams winding their way through wooded valleys to meet 
the Merrimack. Here were the sandy Shawsheen fields in Andover, 
long tilled by savage and civilized hands and the sparsely settled 
farms, with wooded pastures, lying along the north bank of the river 
in Methuen, with the same rounded hills to eastward and westward. 
Here was the swell of land, between the Merrimack and Spicket 
rivers, favoring building, drainage and a regular arrangement of city 
streets ; here were all the possibilities of future activity waiting the 
advent of men bold, enterprising and skilful enough to transform 
this sleepiest of rural neighborhoods into a centre of activity and life. 

*Hou. R. H. Tewksbury. 



32 QUARTER-CENTEXNIAL 

The Andover tract was known as the " Moose Country " or the 
Plain of Sodom, and the chief innkeeper at the Cross roads was 
famiharly called Lot. The Methuen district was in retaliation called 
Gomorrah by dwellers on the opposite bank. A ravine traversed by 
a small intermittent stream bisected this Methuen plain, leaving the 
river from a point near the Central Pacific Mill, running northerly in- 
land, nearly with the line of Lawrence street, bending westward and 
broadening into a basin lying between the line of Haverhill street 
and Amesbury and Franklin streets. This basin, now mostly filled 
and drained, has become the heart of population in Wards Three and 
Four. 

A gulley or run extending from the Washington Mills, nearly on a 
line with Jackson street, to the quagmire which formed the easterly 
l^art of Lawrence Common. Below Union street, eastward from the 
Duck Mills, was a sunken valley, lower than the bottom of the canal, 
requiring a vast amount of filling. There was a shorter ravine where 
the Atlantic Mills are located, and another low run extending inland, 
towards depot square, from a point near the counting house of the 
main Pacific Mills. Depot square and its immediate vicinity was 
a pool of stagnant water, well stocked with pouts and other fish. 
A ridge or bluff of bluestone ran parallel with Essex street, to the 
rear of where the post office now stands, from which, in the early 
days of the city, cannon were fired in times of jubilation and poli- 
tical rejoicing. 

Haverhill and East Haverhill streets follow substantially old county 
roads, changed somewhat in direction and grade ; Broadway is a sec- 
tion of the old turnpike laid out in 1806, from Concord, N. H., to 
Medford, Mass., that part within the city limits taking the name a few 
years since. Portions of Cross, Arlington, Berkeley, and Marston 
streets in North Lawrence, and of Lowell road, Salem turnpike and 
Merrimack street in South Lawrence, with the ferry and back roads 
in the outlying wards, follow substantially old thoroughfares. 




W. R. SPALDING. 



Captain Spaulding was born in Wilton, N. H. in 1828. Came to 
Lawrence in 1846, and entered the clothing business, in which he has 
from that time been engaged, and is consequently the oldest merchant 
in the city. He obtained the charter of the Merrimack Valley Horse 
Railroad, and was largely instrumental m its being built, and was at 
one time extensively interested in the Concord Railroad, and one of 
its directors for several years. At the present time he is one of the 
directors of the Lowell & Lawrence Railroad, and is, under appoint- 
ment of Gov. Rice, one of the Inspectors of State Charitable Institu- 
tions for Paupers and Insane at Tewksbury ; is also a director of the 
Pemberton National Bank and treasurer of the Lawrence Savings Bank. 
He has served in both branches of the city government. Married 
Mary A. Ham, a native of Rochester, N. H. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 33 

The old ferry roads had much travel before the building of Andover 
bridge ; they compassed the valley, now the site of the city. The 
westerly road approached from the north, reaching the Merrimack at 
Bodwell's ferry, near pumping station, by way of Currant, (Bellevue) 
and Tower Hill, running as now, to the rear of Bellevue Cemetery. 
The easterly road ran as it now runs, over and a little to the eastward 
of Prospect Hill, reaching the Merrimack at Marston's ferry, near the 
Lawrence poor farm, where was also, in the olden time, a ford. 

After the building of the Andover Bridge, in 1 793, a rough roadway 
ran from the bridge, northeasterly, across the lowlands to a point just 
west of the First Baptist church, where it joined the Haverhill road. 

The few dwellings dotting the plain within the central wards were 
mostly upon the road, now straightened, graded and known as Haver- 
hill and East Haverhill streets. On East Haverhill street was and still 
is the old house, with its immense elm, both now standing, almost 
the only undisturbed relics of a former century, in the populous districts 
of the city. A part of this ancient dwelling is so old that it ante-dates 
all recollections or traditions, excepting the known fact that it once 
stood rear the mouth of the Spicket River, on the Merrimack bank, 
before roads were opened in the region, and sheltered one of the first 
settlers on this plain. The great farm belonging with this estate lay 
along the western bank of the Spicket river, and extended from the 
Merrimack to the westward bend of the Spicket, and westerly to the 
Gage farm, hereafter mentioned. The old house was removed to the 
present site, when highways were laid out, and large additions made 
thereto. The great elm was transplanted from the Spicket bank by a 
tramping soldier of the old French war, about one hundred and 
twenty-six years ago, at the request of the fair wife of the farmer re- 
siding there. The estate is now the homestead of W. B. Gallison, Esq. 
Opposite this ancient landmark was the more modern dwelling of 
Adolphus Durant, Esq., built a little more than fifty years ago ; with a 
snug enclosure of surrounding land with the buildings. The house is 



34 QUARTER-CENTEXNIAL 

well remembered, and was removed a few years since and fitted for 
tenants. 

The farm house and buildings of the late Phineas M. Gage, 
stood in the fields on the spot now known as Jackson Terrace ; the 
old well with curl) and sweep, was just at the rear of the Unitarian 
church, the farm orchard was in the section of the city now crossed 
by Orchard street, his garden extending along the line of Garden 
street. Thus the names of two city streets are naturally accounted 
for. The farm of Mr. Gage extended from the banks of the Merrimack 
to Spicket River, inchiding the eastern end of the common, and the 
lands eastward to a line near Newbury street. 

The substantial dwelling standing upon the site of the high school 
building is so well remembered as hardly to need mention. It was 
occupied in old times, in turn by one Remick, a sea-faring man, and 
one Thwing from Dorchester, and by Daniel Merrill, Esq., later of 
Methuen. Lawrence common was mostly within the lines of this es- 
tate, which included all of the central and westerly portion. 

The ancient homestead of Capt. White stood just west of the resi- 
dence of J. H. Battles, Esq., near the corner of Haverhill and Law- 
rence streets. His farm lands extended westerly to Cross street and 
northward to Spicket river, with a large central tract south of Haver- 
hill street. His son Judge Daniel Appleton White, born beneath the 
old sloping roof, gave the citizens of Lawrence w^hat must continue to 
prove a source of perpetual pleasure and incalculable profit, his mu- 
nificent gift for the founding of a course of lectures, established and 
known as the "White Fund Course," and from the fund material aid 
is given to sustain and enlarge the public library. The more modest 
farm house at the corner of Amesbury and Haverhill streets was, with 
several acres of surrounding lands, the property of Fairfield White, 
Esq., now living, hale and hearty, a resident of Methuen, and still 
holding a part of those lands. A substantial square farm house, near 
where E. W. Colcord now lives, at the corner of Franklin and Haver- 




:<r ^\ 







STEPHEN P. SIMMONS, 

Stone Contractor and Builder. Residence, 1 75 Haverhill St Has 
been m Lawrence since April ist, 1847. Was born in Foster* R. I., 
April 17, 1S13. Received a common school education. Learned the 
mason's trade in 1833, at Woonsocket Falls, R. L Was married in 
1834, m Smithfield, R. L, to Fannie B. Eldridge of South Harwich, 
Mass. ; has four children. Attends the First Methodist church. He 
helped to build the dam across the Merrimack River, built the stone 
chimney in Everett yard, Grace Episcopal church, all the foundations 
excavating, gradmg, etc., for Lawrence jail, stone church in Methuen' 
and re-built the foundation of the Pemherton Mill after its fall In 
1854 did several thousand dollars' worth of work for the Essex Co 
Mr Simmons was present at the organization of the town of Lawrence" 
and also voted at the first city election. ' 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 35 

hill Streets, was known at one time as the Sargent house. It was torn 
down about the time the city was incorporated. 

The buildings of the Methuen poor farm, formerly owned by Na- 
thaniel Sargent, stood near the corner of Bradford street and Broadway, 
then the corner of Haverhill road and old turnpike, and were too lately 
removed to need special description. 

The town farm lands lay along either side of the old turnpike from 
Andover bridge northward, with a great pasture on the easterly slope 
of Tower Hill, the lands of one Alpheus Bodvvell, being in the Ward 
Five lowlands. West of the railway was the modest low dwelling of 
Captain John Smith, on the site of the residence of E. F. Childs, Esq., 
at the corner of Haverhill and May streets. One Jennings, formerly 
owned the lands northward of this dwelling nearly to Methuen line. 
Two dwellings, not particularly noticeable, stood on the slope of the 
hill before reaching the Bod^ ell farm buildings, just westward of the 
ferry road. This Bodwell farm house has within a year or two been 
supplanted by a modern brick structure ; the estate is still held by the 
family. Asa M. Bodwell, Esq., being one of the few men of enter- 
prise remaining of the old stock of settlers born and reared upon the 
soil. Edwin Sargent, Esq., residing on Prospect Hill, is another en- 
terprising native who has faithfully kept the inheritance. Warren 
Stevens, Esq., of South Lawrence, was to the manor born, and with 
others worthily represents the old stock in that locality. Of the de- 
scendants of James Smith, who had a small estate on the old turnpike 
just north of Haverhill street, Charles M. Smith is a man whose ex- 
ample may be safely followed and his walk commended. The origi- 
nal Poors, Barnards, Liscombs, Gages and Swans have worthy de- 
scendants, holding in many cases portions of the old estate. 

On the farm of Levi Emery, Esq., our lively Representative, was 
the old farm house formerly of one Ordway, a sterling Bunker Hill 
patriot, who, when ammunition failed, threw stones and clods, and pos- 



56 QUARTER-CENTEXNIAI, 

sibly hurled imprecations at the red coats. The estate was afterwards 
owned by one Trull. 

The Samuel Ames, formerly Davis, farm was the same substan- 
tially as that now owned by Mr. Ames, and below, at the river banks 
and ferry, were two ancient houses, once much resorted to in the days 
of ferries and fords. A rickety dwelling known as the Roger house 
stood at upper guard locks, and was the first to be demolished and 
replaced at the founding of the city. 

On the lower Spicket was the Foster house, still standing, just 
below East Haverhill street bridge, and the paper mills of A. Durant, 
Esq., long since supplanted and removed. The little old school 
house at the corner of East Haverhill and Prospect streets, was long 
since replaced by a modern spacious building ; the one on Tower 
Hill was years ago removed ; the one in South Lawrence was removed 
years since and is now a modest dwelling. 

Where is now the Arlington Mills, stood the piano case factory of 
Abiel Stevens, afterwards transformed into a hat factory, and in the 
immediate neighborhood the residence of father and son ; the well- 
known Susan Huse place, the house standing, the residence lately 
occupied by John N. Archer, and the square house, in which, in the 
early days, Nathan Wells, Esq., resided. 

In South Lawrence the cross-road settlement, where Andover street 
crosses Broadway, was the nearest approach to a village within the 
present city limits. Here was the Essex Tavern, the Shawsheen 
Tavern and county store. The substantial brick residence of the late 
Hon. Daniel Saunders, is still standing and occupied by his respected 
widow. The Essex House is now a dwelling, changed somewhat from 
its former appearance. The Shawsheen House under another name 
is still kept as a public house. Opposite the old toll house was a 
modest old style dwelling. 

On the Lowell road westward from this corner are three old dwell- 
ings of note. The Theodore Poor farm house, the Caleb Richardson 




HEZEKIAH PLUMMER, 



Lumber Dealer, 434 Haverhill St. ; residence, 155 Haverhill St. Rom 
in Andover territory now Lawrence, in 181 5. He was brought up on 
a farm, commencing to learn the carpenter's trade when thirteen years 
old. Was engaged in making doors and sashes in 1846, at Hazen 
Mill, formerly so called, on the Lowell road, about a mile from South 
Lawrence depot, Soon after this, when there commenced a demand 
for lumber to build the "new city," he erected a steam mill upon the 
South Side, for the same purpose. Associated with Joseph N orris from 
1852 until his death, Mr. Plummer has built many public buildings, 
as well as private residences. Married in 1846 ; has one child. At- 
tends the Unitarian church. Was common councilman in 1856 and 
1859 ; alderman, 1 86 1, 1868, 187 1 and 1872. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 37 

estate and the old dwellings erected by the pioneers Barnard and 
Stevens, all with marks of extreme old age, but all showing that they 
were built by thrifty farmers, men of enterprise, with ideas in advance 
of their time. 

On the corner of Andover and Parker streets, where one Towne 
lived for years, and John Bailey, Esq., now resides, once stood the 
dwelling of Capt. Michael Parker. The Captain was a blacksmith as 
well as farmer ; his ancestry were buried in the open lot south of the 
shop, and as he worked at his forge he could look out upon the little 
enclosure of sleepers. When he sold his farm of a hundred acres, 
which lay along the Merrimack eastward, the bodies where removed 
to Andover cemetery. Parker street perpetuates his name. 

In the present suburbs of Lawrence, the old estates remain so nearly 
as they were and the changes are so well known, descriptions would be 
tedious. Among the most notable land marks is the Tarbox dwelling 
at the foot of Clover Hill, where Hon. John K. Tarbox was born, and 
the old dwelling of the Sargents and Swans, to the eastward of Pros- 
pect Hill. Along the line of the Merrimack were rude fish wharves, 
busy localities in the fishing season ; there were five of them between 
the dam and the Industrial school, simple structures of rough stone 
and logs, each creating an eddy where at some seasons the fish 
gathered in immense numbers. 

Thus upon the fingers of the hand may be counted the dwellings 
and buildings that stood within the populous portion of the city. In 
all the district where the great mills have been built and where men 
congregate for trade stood not a single habitation. Previous to 1845, 
Uttle change had taken place for more than a century. The silence that 
brooded over the plain was almost oppressive. The waterfall wasted 
a countless horse power in its musical flow, the years came and went 
and brought little of change to the isolated farmer, the hardy river 
raftsman, or the careless, happy-go-lucky fisherman who got his supply 
of food so easily at the rapids, and consumed it in such abundant 



i 



38 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 

quantity that, if the modern theory that fish specially nourishes the 
brain were true, he should have been, as he certainly was not, the 
most intellectual of mortals. 

But, though long delayed, change came, change rapid, radical and 
entire, overshadowing completely the leaven of original population, 
till only here and there do we find the descendant of a nati\e family? 
or a landmark untouched by the hand of enterprise. 




CHARLES STORER STORROW, 



Treasurer and Agent of the Essex Co. Came to Lawrence from Bos- 
ton at the founding of the city, surveying its site, locating the streets, 
improvements, reserves, etc. ; a civil engineer by profession, he planned 
and directed those first important works — the great stone dam and the 
canals. Born at Montreal, P. Q., March 25, 1809, during the 
temporary residence of his parents there. Was first mayor of 
Lawrence, 1853. Manager and engineer of the Boston & Lowell 
Railroad previous to coming to Lawrence. Chief engineer of opera- 
tions at Hoosac Tunnel for a time. Appointed one of the park com- 
missioners for the city of Boston in 1876. Has resided in Boston for 
several years attending to the finances of the company at the Boston 
office, and constantly visiting Lawrence, attending personally to the 
home management. Married Lydia Cabot, and has several children. 



V. 

BEGINNING THE ENTERPRISE.— THE ESSEX 

COMPANY. 



*Amid all the gorgeous imagery of the Arabian Night Entertain- 
ments, that rich, unfailing source of youthful enjoyment and delight, 
there has probably no one tale so colored the day dream of boyhood 
or so materially ministered to the idealistic fancy of imaginative youth, 
as the enchanting story of " Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp," where- 
in is recited among the many marvellous feats of the wonderful Genii, 
the subservient slave of the youthful possessor of the wonderful lamp. 
The account is almost incredible, even where one is so ready to be- 
lieve, of the erection from foundation to turret of a most magnificent 
palace complete, with its entire equipment, with the exception of one 
single window, in the short space of a single night. 

Substituting in the stead of a single night-time, the space of hardly 
half a short half decade of years, and here on this very spot of earth 
called home by thousands there has been performed a feat hitherto 
hardly less incredible, to wit, in this short space of time, by the aid 
of no supernatural power or mythical agency, a deep and rapid 
river, arrested in its impetuous course, its mighty and resistless force 

* For 11 yortion of this chapter the compiler is indjbted to Hoif. \V. H. P. .Vri^ht for facts 
and lonnula^'d sentences. 

39 



40 



QUARTER-CENl'ENNTAL 



made the subservient slave of man, and doomed to toil in harness at 
the will of its master, the erection of an infant city, with its mills and 
its hundreds of diversified industries, its churches, its schools, its 
happy homes, and all the manifold surroundings that go to make up 
a happy, prosperous, flourishing municipality, and all this on a barren 
locality, which before afforded but a moderate support to a few un- 
ambitious tillers of the soil. 




DANIEL SAUNDERS, SR. 

If the earliest conception of the scheme and the means of its suc- 
cessful acheivements, if the unshared labor and responsibility, the 
heart-sickening discouragement, the wearing anxiety and care neces- 
sarily attendant on so vast an undertaking in its inception, are matters 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 4I 

of mohient. If to the unfailing sagacity, the untiring energy, and 
indomitable resolution of one man, the success of an enterprise is 
mainly due, and all these together in one individual, entitle him to 
rank as Founder of the Enterprise, then to one who unassuming and 
unpretending, for many years, walked with us and lived amongst us, 
belongs the proud title of the Founder of our City, and places among 
the honored names in Lowell, of Boot, of Colburn and Worthen of 
earlier days, that of Daniel Saunders, of Lawrence. Sometime pre- 
vious to 1835 Mr. Saunders, than resident in Andover, and at the 
time engaged in the woolen manufacture, on his own account, came 
by chance into the possession of an old plan for a canal from Lowell 
to tide water in the Merrimack river. He was a man who never 
mislaid, or wasted, or destroyed anything that could by any possibil- 
lity become of future use or value, unpretending but self reliant, who 
thought more than he talked, and who was one of the very few pos- 
sessed of that rare faculty of keeping their own secret without taking 
the world into their confidence upon every matter trivial or otherwise, 
or who felt necessary to cackle into existence every new idea suggest- 
ing itself, as the hen ushers into the world her new laid egg. 

From occasional studies of the plan and from the numerous sites 
for locking, as thereon portrayed, he was persuaded that there must 
be a more considerable fall between Lowell and tide water in the 
Merrimack river than was generally conceived, and this seemed some- 
what plausible from the fact that the river between these two points 
was navigable downward by rafts, and exhibited at no one place any 
decided fall, but showed the descent of the water, such as it was, by 
occasional rapids, up which a boat might be pushed without diffi- 
culty in ordinary height of water, and consequently was to an ordi- 
nary observer, extremely deceptive as to its actual capacity for power. 
In order to satisfy himself of the fact, with a single assistant, and 
with no other instruments than a straight edge and spirit level, he 
determined the fall of the several rapids, between the two points, with 



42 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL 

an approximate certainty, sufificiently accurate at any rate for his 
satisfaction, and thereupon at once was prefigured clear and distinct 
beyond question in his mind, all the capabilities and advantages of 
this mighty source of power and wealth, hidden under the unassum- 
ing form of a few deceptive rapids. The Genii of the Stream had 
been evoked from beneath the waters and had been compelled to 
exhibit himself in all the terrible majesty of his awful power, but not 
as yet was he subject further to mortal incantation. 

From that moment with Mr. Saunders it was only a question of 
time, only awaiting an opportunity, and the man to demonstrate and 
develop it ; nor did he hesitate to talk over in the privacy of his 
family circle, the probabilities of the growth of a great city on the 
banks of the Merrimack in Methuen and Andover ; whether or no his 
eyes should ever see it was to him then a matter of doubt, but to the 
vision of his children, if spared, prophesied, with a certainty that 
silenced cavil, all that the present has effected in the way of material 
growth and prosperity in the City of Lawrence. 

But the mere discovery of this immense water power, hitherto un- 
known, unrecognized and unimproved, was only one step, and that 
a very small one towards its full development. 

About two miles above the present location, at the head of Peters 
Falls, so called, a dam could have been constructed at a much less 
expenditure of money than where the present dam now stands, but 
at the sacrifice of a few feet of fall, and it was by no means cleir then 
nor for sometime after to the mind of our enterprising discoverer 
which of the two, under all circumstances, was the more desirable 
spot for his purpose ; but to his mind one thing was clear, definite, 
determined, and that was that the scheme of founding, in one of the 
two localities a great manufacturing centre, was far from visionary 
and that sooner or later, by some person in some way and by some 
means it would be brought about ; consequently, on his own account, 
without taking any one outside of his own immediate family into his 




ALBERT WARREN, 



Commission Merchant, 21 Broadway; residence, 274 Haverhill St. 
Came to Lawrence in April, 1850. Born at Leicester, Mass., Sept., 
1814. Is a card clothing manufacturer by trade, and commenced 
that business in this city under the firm name of Smith, Walker & Co., 
which changed to Warren & Bryant, and subsequently to Warren & 
Robinson. Mr. Warren retired six years since. Is married but has 
no children. Attends the Lawrence Street Congregational church. 
Was alderman the first year of the city charter, and was mayor in 
1855 and 1856. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 43 

councils, in 1840 he purchased of Frederick Noyes a strip of land 
about a third of a mile in length, which took in Peters Falls on the 
south side of the river. 

Nothing more was done in this direction until 1843, when he 
effected a purchase from Joseph Griffin, of Lowell, of an island cov- 
ered with wood, situate at the head of Peters Falls, which island is now 
flooded, and is below the level of the flowing river, out of sight be- 
neath the deep waters. Later in the same year, he bought of Samuel 
Griffin a strip of land about half a mile in length, containing some 
eighty acres in the whole, on the north side, and from time to time, 
as opportunity afforded, quietly effected purchases of several differ- 
ent parties, until he held in his own right the whole of Peters Falls, 
and had secured to himself the key to the mighty power of the great 
river, which under his purchases, by means of the flowage laws of 
Massachusetts, could neither be wrested from him, nor could his right 
to utilize the same be hindered, although the other land owners on the 
river should grudgingly refuse to sell whatever might be necessary for 
the full enjoyment of his privilege so secured for a reasonable compen- 
sation ; and so judiciously did he set himself at work, and so quietly 
was all this effected that no person other than the confidents in his 
own immediate family circle suspected even the existence of the hid- 
den giant, much less did they imagine it within the range of probabilities 
that in their day he would be summoned from out the waters to dem- 
onstrate before their eyes, in active industrial energy, the capabilities 
of his terrible presence and matchless power. 

Having now proceeded as far as he could well venture singly and 
alone in an undertaking so vast, and having just at this time disposed 
of his woolen business, he was now at liberty to give to the enterprise 
his undivided attention, provided he could enlist in its behalf associ- 
ated capital, which in no inconsiderable amount would be required in 
order to carry forward towards its completion the grand project 
in which he was so heartily enlisted, in which he had such entire faith? 



44 QUARTER- CEXTENNI.4L 

to which he had given so much thought and study, and for the full 
development of which, in its entirety, he was now prepared to devote 
himself, to the exclusion of all other matters of business whatsoever. 
He accordingly opened the whole matter to his nephew, J. (r. Abbott, 
John Nesmith and Samuel Lawrence, all then residents of Lowell, dis- 
closing as well what he had done and what he already knew in the 
premises, as also what in his opinion the future promised and required. 

He found the parties readily disposed to give the project their fa- 
vorable consideration, well knowing that he was a person whose 
judgment was least likely to be warped by his enthusiasm, and waiting 
only to satisfy themselves of the actual fall in the Merrimack River 
below Hunt's Falls in Lowell, in full sympathy with him they entered 
into his views, and immediately thereupon was formed the Merrimack 
Water Power Association embracing, together with the first named, 
Daniel Saunders, Jr., then a law student in Lowell, Thomas Hopkinson 
and Jonathan Tyler of Lowell, and Nathaniel Stevens of Andover. 

Of course it was an object of prime importance to obtain the title 
to as much of the land as possible adjacent to the location determined 
upon, as well to secure the advantage of controlling everything relating 
to the laying out of the future municipality in its early embryo state, 
as also to reap the advantage of the immediate rise in the value of the 
real estate in the vicinity of the contemplated improvements. How 
to do this was one of the first questions that presented itself to the 
newly formed association. 

Prominent members of the association urged the importance of at 
once purchasing, in as quiet a manner as possible, lands in the imme- 
diate vicinity of the projected enterprise at the most advantageous 
bargains, and to an extent as general as possible. 

But to him who had studied the whole matter, even in its minute 
detail, and who had seemingly provided for almost every conceivable 
contingency, this appeared not the part of wisdom, and his suggestion 
on the contrary was, that since the exact location was by no means 















JOHN RODMAN ROLLINS, 

Accountant at Pacific Mills. Residence, 39 Prospect St. Has been 
a resident for over twenty years. Born in Newburyport Feb. 9, 181 7. 
Was a graduate of Dartmouth College, of the Class of '36, subsequent 
to which he taught school 12 years. Married Sarah Stearns Patterson 
Nov. 20, 1844; has two children. Is a regular attendant at the 
Lawrence Street Congregational Church. Was for thirteen years pay- 
master of the Essex Company. Was mayor of Lawrence for the years 
1857 and 1858. Captain in the Union Army, 1863-4. Since Dec. 
1866 Mr. Rollins has been paymaster at the Pacific Mills. 



HISTORY OF L.A\VRENCE, MASS. 45 

at the time definitely determined, the superior advantages of the 
present locality in height of fall being offset by the dimnuition of out- 
lay required to build a dam at Peters Falls, two miles above, and as 
the purchase of outlands at both places would necessarily secure a loss 
on one portion or the other, he advised that the association should at 
once proclaim their purpose and intention of commencing in one of 
the two localities hereafter to be determined as the interest of the asso- 
ciation should be best subserved, the erection of a new m^knufacturing 
city, and offering to the land owners about the location fortunate in 
being selected a joint benefit with the associates in the enterprise by 
taking from all owning lands in either vicinity bonds for the conveyance 
of their lands within a certain time at prices much in advance of their 
value, present or prospective under the present existing state of things. 
To the good judgment of the other associates the suggestions of the 
original projector at once recommended themselves, and he accord- 
ingly commenced taking bonds from the land owners in and about 
both localities. It was a somewhat slow and tedious process. Few 
had any idea at the commencement that the scheme would ever 
amount to anything, and they had no particular objection for a nomi- 
nal consideration to bind themselves to sell within a given time their 
farms for one-half more perhaps than they had ever dreamed of real- 
izing for them, but parties could not be hurried ; many required repeat- 
ed visits and almost endless conferences. Absent parties required 
hunting up and communicating with, and the thousand causes for de- 
lay attendant upon an undertaking so vast were, of course, not wanting. 
The scheme was by the wise ones (and there are many such in every 
country village) facetiously designated as Saunders' folly. Timid 
proprietors, who had probably never made a conveyance of a foot of 
land in their lifetime, hesitated, through mere dread of putting name 
to paper ; these had to be encouraged ; the stubborn coaxed ; the 
cautious satisfied, It was not a community of business men that were 
to be dealt with, but a community of yoemen who mostly held the 



46 QUARTER-CENTENN'IAL 

same land which their fathers had occupied before then\, and which, 
through course of descent, had been somewhat widely distributed. 
Any other than a most resolute and self-reliant man would have been 
discouraged at the very outset. But, in the course of time, the sagac- 
ity of his plan in relation to bonding the land, was apparent. 

It was at first intended to secure a bond for a deed, but afterwards 
it was deemed more desirable to procure a conditional deed to be 
signed by all parties, thus making a more binding agreement upon 
all the parties to the contract. The deed was made in warranty form 
upon receipt of one hundred dollars or such sum as might be agreed 
upon, provided that Mr. Saunders should pay to the grantor within 
one year, or such time as agreed upon, the sum of $5000, more or 
less, as called for in the deed. This sum was not to include the 
bonus, which in case the enterprise fell threw, was a gratuity to the 
owners of the land. These bonuses were to come from the sum of 
$50,000, put up by the association to pave the way for the enterprise, 
or rather to be expended in the experiment. It was first proposed 
to call the location " Saunders," but to this proposition Mr. Saunders 
objected, giving as his reason that there was not in Massachusetts a 
town called Merrimack, and as this was located on a river of that name, 
it was eminently fitting and proper that the name given should be 
" Merrimack," and it was so called up to the time of incorporation. 
When the act of incorporation was asked of the General Court, it 
was proposed to give it the name of Lawrence, in honor of the Law- 
rence family, who were foremost in the manufacturing interest (cot- 
ton and woolen) in Massachusetts, and accordingly it was duly incor- 
porated as Lawrence. Many no doubt will wonder why Mr. Saunders 
declined to give the thing virtually of his own creating, his name, as 
by so doing his name would have been carried down to latest times, 
but there is no cause for wonder. He was not ambitious of a name 
and fame on paper, and no doubt he felt, did his enterprise succeed, 
his monument and memory would be found in the noble factories 




DANIEL SAUNDERS, 



Attorney-at-Law ; ofifice 246 Essex St. Born in Andover, Mass., Oc- 
tol)er 6, 1822. Graduated from the Harvard Law School in 1844; 
admitted to the bar July i, 1845, ^"^^^ ^^^ since continued a leading 
meniber of the same in Essex County. He was actively engaged 
with his father, the late Daniel Saunders, in purchasing lands and as- 
sisting him in his original enterprise of founding the present city of 
Lawrence. In 1843 there was formed the Merrimack Water Power 
Association, having for its object the development of the present wa- 
ter power of Lawrence. Of this association Mr. Saunders was a 
member. From this association grew the P^ssex Company which was 
chartered in 1845, of which since its inception he has been a stock- 
holder, and for many years one of its directors. He has been a mem- 
ber of both branches of the Legislature ; was Mayor of the city in 
i860, the year of the memorable Pemberton disaster; is married 
and has four children, and is a meniber of (Jrace Episcoi)al church. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 47 

that should line the banks of the noble river in the new city yet in 
embryo. 

As soon as all preliminary arrangements were made, Mr. Saunders 
immediately devoted his entire services to securing all the necessary 
land under the conditional deeds we have mentioned, and his success 
was gratifying, when the many difficulties with which he was forced to 
contend are taken into consideration, and in eighteen months, he had 
succeeded in securing all the land upon each side of the river, included 
in what is now the city of Lawrence, with the following exceptions : 
On the south side of the river was a lot in the possession of Mr. Sam- 
uel Poor, of about thirty acres, which was heavily mortgaged to Mr. 
N. W. Hazen of Andover, in whose possession it afterwards fell. This 
lot, upon which stands the Webster House, he was unable to secure, 
as also a lot of twelve acres on the North Andover road, owned by 
Mr. Foster, and an undivided fourth of one acre at the south end of 
the Andover Bridge, upon which stands Gage's Block, now occupied 
by Emerson Woods as a hotel. These were the only lots upon the 
South Side remaining in the hands of the original possessors. On the 
north side of the Merrimack was a lot owned by Fairfield White of 
six acres, east of Amesbury and south of Haverhill streets. The house 
of Moses Perkins, Esq., stands nearly upon the southeast corner of 
this lot. At this time Mr. White was working upon the Boston and 
Lowell railroad, and offered the land and the buildings upon it for 
$600. Mr Saunders offered to give a bonus of $200, and agree to 
take the lot at $1200, if the association should find it advisable to go 
on with the enterprise. Mr. White at once refused to take less than 
$1200, but would sell at that price, which offer Mr. Saunders refused 
to consider, and meeting Messrs. Lawrence and Nesmith and laying 
the matter before them, was at once advised by Mr. Lawrence to pay 
the amount demanded. Mr. Saunders differed from this proposition, 
stating that in his opinion it would be a very unwise proceeding, in- 
asmuch as that should it be known that Mr. White had been paid in 



48 QUARTER-CENTEXXFAL 

hand double his price, the next owner approached would demand 
perhaps $20,000 for his territory, and the next one perhaps $100,000, 
and thus no more land could be bought, and the enterprise must per 
force end there, but that in his opinion it would be more advisable to 
leave Mr. White in possession, as it would be cheaper in the end to 
pay him $12,000 than $1200 at that stage. This sound advice was 
accepted, and in the end Mr. White retained one acre, selling the bal- 
ance, five acres, to the association for $12,000. The only other ex- 
ception on the north side was about one-half acre on Broadway, then 
Turnpike, owned by Mr. Smith, and still in possession of his widow 
and heirs. Thus it will be seen with how much energy and fidelity 
Mr. Saunders prosecuted his duty as the land agent of the associa- 
tion, in this, the most delicate and arduous duty connected with the 
enterprise, and if he was doubly successful in securing this property 
and at the same time securing a competence for himself, no one 
should envy or begrudge the success rightfully earned, and to which 
no shade of chicanery or fraud can attach. 

No one can say that his or her property was not bought for far above 
true value, and when it is taken into consideration that many of the 
farms were hea\-ily mortgaged, and must soon have fallen into the 
hands of the creditors, we see that the debtor, instead of being turned 
out of doors with neither house or farm, received a sum more than 
sufificient to free him from debt, and still leave him with more^roperty 
than was in his possesion when the millstone of debt was contracted. 
• Many, no doubt regret to this day that they disposed of their property, 
but it should be borne in mind that without this disposition, they and 
their children would still possess a few barren and unproductive acres, — 
and nothing more. The total amount of land thus secured by Mr. 
Saunders, including lands in Andover and the flowage to Lowell, 
amounted to between three and four thousand acres. 

The price which the land owners were *to receive in case the pro- 
jected enterprise was a success, induced many to give bonds at once, 




WILLIAM H. P. WRIGHT, 



Retired Lawyer. Residence, 55 East Haverhill St. Born at Lowell 
in 1827. Educated at Cambridge University. Studied law with his 
father in Lowell, coming to this city in 1847, and continuing study 
with Daniel Saunders, and also with Wright & Flanders. Commenc- 
ed practice with his brother Thomas, which partnership continued till 
1 86 1, or about the time he was elected mayor, which position he held 
in 1862-63, two of the most important years of our city's history. 
Subsequent to this Mr. Wright practiced law until 1876. He repre- 
sented the city in the legislature in 1867-68, and officiated as judge 
during the interim between Judge Stevens and Judge Harmon. Has 
a wife and one son. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 49 

and as a general thing these were parties who were most conversant 
with business affairs, whose judgment was generally to be relied upon, 
and who exerted in the community a certain influence on that ac- 
count, and they soon became active interested agents in inducing 
others to do the same ; and as it was understood that the ultimate 
location depended largely upon the unanimity of feeling among the 
land holders of either locality over the others, in bonding their real 
estate, there grew up a rivalry between the land owners of the differ- 
ent places to secure each for themselves the advantage dependent on 
each ultimate location by enlisting as universally as possible every party 
in interest into the general movement, yet in a country as sparsely 
populated as this then was, rapid interchange of news was out of the 
question. Everything moved, but it moved slow, and the most un- 
tiring energy and unflagging zeal was constantly required to keep even 
that movement continuous. Many months of hard, discouraging, con- 
tinuous labor ensued before the title to the real estate was in this way 
generally secured. When taken into consideration the fact that in 
a city two miles square, almost the entire real estate through the efficacy 
of these bonds came into the hands of the parties in interest, and that 
two miles further up river a like condition of things existed had the 
location there been fixed, when you bear in mind that all this was the 
result of the labors of one man, for in this delicate duty subordinates 
could not well be employed or trusted, you can form some idea of the 
patience and policy requisite, the visitations and journeyings necessary, 
the arguments and inducements required, the objections and scruples 
silenced, the doubts removed, the questions answered, the enquiries 
satisfied and the caution and judgment exercised before any such re- 
sult could have been brought about. Few are the men who would 
have undertaken such a task, and fewer yet those who could so satis- 
factorily have accomplished it. The patience under difficulties, the 
resolution of purpose, the rugged common sense, the intimate knowl- 



50 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL 

edge of mankind that were marked characteristics of Mr. Saunders, 
visibly manifest themselves in this achievement. 

After seventy-six years of tireless activity, in which few days could 
be counted as lost, and none as wasted, on the eighth day of October, 
1872, he gave o'er his labors, laid aside his cares, disrobed himself of 
his infirmities and found 

"Rest at last, 
Repose complete, eternal, 
Love, rest and home." 

Near the summit of one of the lofty hills that overlooks the city at 
whose birth he was so conspicuous in action, he was by loving hands 
tenderly laid away, where " he rests from his labors, and his works do 
follow him." 

On the twentieth day of March, 1845, the legislature of Massachu- 
setts granted to Samuel Lawrence, John Nesmith, Daniel Saunders and 
Edmund Bartlett their associates and successors, the charter of the 
Essex Company, authorizing among other things the construction of 
a dam across the Merrimack River, either at Deer Jump Falls or Bod- 
well's Falls, or at some point in the river between the twj falls. From 
this time Daniel Saunders, although still employed in busily adjusting 
matters of detail in relation to the various conveyances of real estate, 
the adjustment of damages for flowage, and matters of that nature for 
and on account of the Essex Company, steps aside as the principal 
character upon the theatre of action. 

On the sixteenth of the following April, the stock ($1,000,000) hav- 
ing in the meantime been taken up, the company was organized with 
Abbott Lawrence, Nathan Appleton, Ingnatus Sargent, William Sturgis 
and Charles Storrow as directors. Mr. Storrow was elected agent and 
chief engineer. At the present time he is treasurer of the company. 
Mr. Storrow at once began work with a corps of assistants, and an ac- 
curate survey was made, plans executed for a dam, canal, mill sites, 
streets, lots and public stjuares in the town, and on the first day of 




ALFRED J. FRENCH, 

Homoeopathic Physician. Residence and place of business, 44 Law- 
rence Street. Has been in Lawrence twenty-one years ; practiced in 
Methuen seven years. Was born in Bedford, N. H. in 1823, and re- 
ceived an academic education at Hancock (N.H.) Literary Seminary. 
Labored on a farm until the age of twenty. Received a medical ed- 
ucation at the Vermont Medical College, graduating in 1848. Was 
married in 1852 to Sarah A. Hardy of Antrim, N. H. ; has no children 
living, having buried an only daughter. Dr. French is a member of 
the First Baptist church, chairman of its finance committee, and was 
treasurer for five years. Served as overseer of the poor in 1858 ; rep- 
resentative to legislature in 1859-60 ; elected mayor for 1864 ; served 
as president of Lawrence National Bank five years from its organiza- 
tion, and is a trustee of the Broadway Savings Bank. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 5 I 

August work was begun, and the first stone laid in the company's dam 
.September 19, and in a, little over two years the work was completed. 
The dam is one of the most remarkable structures in the country. It 
is of granite, 1,629 feet in length, thirty-five feet thick at the base and 
12 1-2 at the top, backed by gravel to within a few feet of the surface. 
It is bedded into the bed-rock of the river. The granite blocks from 
which the dam is built were hammered on the bed and laid in hydrau- 
lic cement. The dam cost $250,000. The overflow of water is 900 
feet wide, and the fall is twenty-six feet. The dam is in some places 
as high as forty and one-third feet. 

The charter provided that the dam should be so. built as not to flow 
Hunt's Falls at Lowell, and made provision for a commission of three 
competent persons to fix and by permanent monuments determine the 
point in the river which is the foot of Hunt's Falls. 

After the completion of the dam it was found that owing to the fric- 
tion and consequent obstruction of water by the turns in the river, 
which was not taken in account, the water flowed back upon Hunt's 
Falls further than the fixed monument, and consequently some sixteen 
inches were hammered off from the top of the great stone headers 
which project over the fall of the dam, thus seriously interferring with 
the perfect symmetry of the structure, and much impairing its beauty. 
The charter further required that a suitable and reasonable fishway 
should be built and maintained in the dam, to be kept open at such 
seasons as are necessary and usual for the passage of fish, and provid- 
ed that the county commissioners of Essex county upon application 
should prescribe the mode of constructing the same. Accordingly a 
place was prepared by the Essex Company, which the county commis- 
sioners accepted and prescribed as a proper form of fishway to be built. 
The county commissioners were evidently not first-class fresh water 
fishermen, however reliable might have been their judgment in the 
matter of deep sea fishing. They were probably strongly influenced 
by a perverted agricultural taste, for their fishway was a modified swill 



5 2 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL 

trough of immense strength, extending diagonally from the top of the 
dam to the river bed on the southerly side, and across this trough at 
equal distances, were spiked great cross timbers, against which the 
water was to strike, and thus form eddies, and over these timbers the 
fish were to leap in sportive glee. On the original plan the happy 
fish was pictured out, wiggling in the imaginary eddies, hopping merrily 
over the cross timbers, speeding rapidly through or resting in confid- 
ing innocence in the cool waters of a seductive eddy, their tails fairly 
squirming with delight, and their countenances beaming with astonish- 
ed wonderment at the skill displayed, as well as the unmistakable grati- 
tude for kindness exhibited, on the part of their old destroyer and 
arch-enemy, man. The picture was a pleasing one ; future genera- 
tions may prize it, but as an avenue for the migration of fish the pro- 
ject was a failure. Since that time various devices have been con- 
structed to serve the important purpose, but none seemed to meet 
the requirements until the summer of 1876, when under the direction 
of the State fish commissioners a way was constructed which in part 
seems to be satisfactory. To induce the finny tribe to poke their 
noses in that direction a large sum was expended in blasting from the 
foot of the way to deep water near the dam. It is now thought that 
through the labor which has been bestowed on the artificial breeding 
of salmon the river will be re-stocked at no very distant day. 

The north canal is a little over a mile long, 100 feet wide at the up- 
per, and sixty feet wide at the lower end, and twelve feet deep. It is 
400 feet distant from the river and parallel with it. The engineer in 
charge of the construction of the dam was Charles A. Bigelow, a cap- 
tain of engineers in the United States army, and under his supervision 
the dam and north canal were completed in 1848. The river affords 
on an average about 5000 cubic feet of water a second, but sometimes 
it reaches 60,000. A power thus obtained is estimated at 150 mill 
power. A mill power is calculated to take thirty cubic feet of 
water a second, with a head and fall of tv.-enty-five feet. This gives a 




NATHANIEL P. H. MELVIN, 

Hardware Dealer at 582 Essex St. Residence on Bodwell St. Has 
been in Lawrence twenty-five years. Born in Lowell in 1825. For 
twenty years after coming to this city he was chief engineer at the 
Washington Mills, resigning that most important position to embark 
in the hardware trade. Mr. Melvin is the only man who has had the 
honor of being elected to the mayoralty chair of Lawrence for three 
terms, he having occupied that position in 1867, 1868 and 1870. He 
was also alderman in i860. At present he is a member of the Law- 
rence Water Board. Attends the Episcopal church. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 53 

force estimated to equal from 60 to 70 horse power. When the At- 
lantic Mills Corporation bought their mill site the price agreed upon 
for a mill power was $14,333 of which $9,333 was paid in cash, the 
balance of $5,000 remaining perpetually at 4 per cent, interest, pay- 
able annually in silver or its equivalent. The Atlantic Company bought 
twenty mill powers, and the other corporations more or less as to their 
requirements, 

The Essex Company has continued to sell mill powers to manu- 
facturers upon such terms as deemed prudent between the parties. 
After the sales had been made to the larger corporations they advanced 
somewhat in the price for several years, though the last sale, which was 
on the South Canal, to N. W. Farwell & Son for bleachery, netted 
the company only $12,000. " Each mill power is declared to be the 
right to draw from the nearest canal or water course of the grantors 
so much water as shall give a power equal to thirty cubic feet of water 
per second, when the head and fall is twenty-five feet ; and no more 
is to be drawn in any one second, nor is the same to be drawn more 
than sixteen hours in each day of twenty-four hours ; and in order to 
prevent disputes as to the power of each mill privilege in the variations 
of the height of water from changes of the season or other causes, it 
is understood and declared that the quantity of water shall be varied 
in proportion to the variation of the height, one foot being allowed and 
deducted from the height of the actual head and fall, and also from 
that with which it is compared before computing the proportion be- 
tween them : thus on a head and fall of thirty feet the quantity of wa- 
ter to be used would be twenty-four cubic feet, and 24-100 of a cu- 
bic foot per second." 

A second canal, on the south side of the river, was commenced in 
1870 ; the upper section is completed, the mill sites sold, and substan- 
tial brick buildings already erected thereon ; this canal is to be extended 
as fast as the power is in demand, to be finally about one and one-fourth 
miles in length, emptying into Shawsheen River. The capital stock 



54 QUARTER-CENTENNIAT- 

of the company was reduced some years ago to $800,000 by cancel- 
lation of stock received for land, and again in 1872, by the payment 
to stockholders of $30.00 per share surplus funds, was reduced to 
$500,000. 

On the 2Sth of April, 1846, when there were but few other than 
temporary houses, the Essex Company, having completed their plans 
of the streets and lots of the new town, advertised the public sale of 
land ; large numbers flocked to the place, and amid the open fields, 
the fields marked off by the furrow of a plow, before the barren waste 
of sand stretching down to the river where now stand the Pacific and 
Washington Mills, the red flag of the auctioneer marked the sale by the 
foot of lots from the farms so recently purchased at a low price by the 
acre. The prices obtained were deemed fabulous, and by many ruin- 
ous, but faith in the future of the new city and the ability of its 
founders was not misplaced, and although the business revulsions of 
latter years have depressed some of the property, there is not a foot of 
it sold at that time but would to-day pay a fair and most of it a very 
handsome profit upon the investment. The highest price then ob- 
tained was for the lot upon the corner of Essex and Jackson streets, 
opposite Clarke's apothecary store, which realized seventy cents per 
square foot ; other lots on Essex street were sold at i^rices from fifty- 
eight to thirty cents ; lots on Haverhill street were sold at from nine 
to thirteen cents per foot. 

On the 6th day of December, 1855, the Essex Company offered 
at public auction about 600 house lots in various parts of the city. 
Some of these purchasers who retained their land for a series of years 
realized well upon their investments ; but many other lots somewhat 
remote from the centre of business, ha\-e never had a market value 
sufficient to pay the original purchase with interest. The hard times 
of 1857 soon came on, and it almost seemed by the numerous lots 
placarded " for sale " that every real estate holder in the city desired 
to dispose of his property. But these gradually wore away, till nearly 




SMITH BROWNING WILKINSON DAVIS, 



Merchant Tailor ; has been in business on Essex Street from 1854 to 
1878 ; residence, 20 Park St. Has been in Lawrence nearly twenty- 
five years. Was born at Foster, R. I., Apr. 13th, 1824. Learned his 
trade in Scituate, R. I. Was educated at Lapham Institute, R. I. 
His boyhood was spent on a farm. Married Lorinda Bishop in 1848 ; 
has two children. Is connected with the Free Baptist church. Mr. 
Davis was a member of the common council for 1869-70, officiating 
as president during the latter year ; was mayor for 1871-2, and is at 
present clerk of the overseers of the poor. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 55 

all the available lots have been utilized and become the homes of 
prosperous thousands. 

During 1848, the Essex Company proffered the city a tract com- 
prising 172-3 acres, which they had wisely reserved, to be kept as a 
public common, the city to expend not less than $300 per year for 
twenty years in its adornment. After some misgivings on the part of 
the citizens the offer was accepted and to-day the city can boast one 
the finest parks in New England, outside of Boston. The Essex Com- 
pany has since given three other parcels of land to the city for the 
purposes of public parks, with certain restrictions, which have been 
accepted. These are Storrow Park, Prospect Hill, one in Ward V 
and the other in Ward VI, which have been fenced, but little has been 
done towards beautifying them. The company has also given to sev- 
eral of the religious denominations sites for church edifices. 

The Essex Company still retains the control of the dam and water 
power of the river, which is now believed to be equivalent to 10,000 
horse power, 7,200 of which have been sold and utilized. The re- 
mainder is ready for sale or lease. The company still owns many house 
lots and other tracts of real estate, and employs on the average about 
twenty-five men to care for their interests. The ofificers of the com- 
pany are : Charles S. Storrow, Treasurer, Boston ; H. F. Mills, En- 
gineer, Lawrence ; Robert H. Tewksbury, Cashier, Lawrence. 



VI. 

ANDOVER BRIDGE. -THE OLDEST CORPO- 
RATION. 



* Commencing before the present century, the records of the pro- 
prietors of Andover bridge, still carefully preserved, contain the history 
of that oldest and only very old work of a corporation within Law- 
rence limits. 

In the year 1 793, in the closing years of the first administration of 
George Washington, when, released from the burdens imposed by the 
Revolution, men of enterprise engaged once more in peaceful callings 
and projected home improvements, an Act was passed by the General 
Court of Massachusetts incorporating Samuel Abbott and John White, 
Estjuires, with Joseph Stephens, merchant, and Ebenezer Poor, yoe- 
man, and associates, as a body politic, under the name of the " Pro- 
prietors of Andover Bridge," for the purpose of erecting a bridge 
over Merrimack River from Andover to Methuen, at Bodwell's Falls, 
where our Broadway bridge now stands. March 19, 1793, John 
Hancock, then governor, affixed his bold signature approving the act. 
This charter provided that the bridge should be built within three 
years, should not be less than twenty-eight feet wide, should have a 

•Hon. K. H. Tewkshuiy. 

56 




JOHN KEMBLE TARBOX, 



Attorney and Counsellor-at-La\v. Office, Essex Savings Bank Build- 
ing, Essex Street ; residence, 17 Valley Street. Mr. Tarbox was born 
in that part of Methuen now embraced within the limits of Lawrence, 
May 6, 1838. He studied the profession of law in the office of Col. 
Benjamin F. Watson, and was admitted to the bar in i860. While a 
student-at-law he edited the Lawrence Sentinel newspaper. Served 
in the Union Army in the Fourth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers. 
Was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention at Chicago, 
in 1864, and an alternate delegate at large from the State to the Dem- 
ocratic National Convention in 1868, and candidate for Presidential 
Elector. He was representative to the General Court in 1868, 1870 
and 1871, and State Senator in 1872. Mayor of Lawrence in 1873 
and 1874, and a member of the 44th Congress from the Seventh 
Massachusetts District. 



QUARTER-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 57 

centre span of one hundred ten feet reach, over the main channel, to 
insure easy passage for great timber rafts. 

Tolls were fixed by the act for foot passengers and every kind of 
carriage from a chariot to a wheelbarro.v. By two additional acts 
the proprietors were allowed to increase tolls. By the first act they 
were given the right to charge tolls for fifty years, by an additional 
act this right was extended to seventy-five years ; by a second ad- 
ditional act they were given monopoly forever with right to reduce 
the width of the bridge, when rebuilt, from twenty-eight to twenty 
feet. Subscribers to stock formally organized the company immedi- 
ately after incorporation. The directors without delay set about the 
work of building, a master mechanic was hired, timber was purchased, 
and the work went bravely on. 

The first structure stood on huge wooden piers, and cost 3,998 
pounds 13 shillings and nine pence, as the account is made up, or in 
modern round numbers, twelve thousand dollars. 

The opening of the bridge, Tuesday, November 19th, 1793, was a 
great local event. The ministers of Methuen and Andover, with stock- 
holders, and principal men of Essex, and Rockingham, were invited, 
the directors, voting to "entertain" on that day. 

Captain Dunkin's company of infantry and Stephen Barker's com- 
pany of cavalry appear to have done escort duty. A boy named 
Stevens, undertaking to pass the guard stationed to keep the bridge 
clear for invited dignitaries was bayoneted by a soldier named Foster, 
and died from the effect of his injuries in a few days. Bridge build- 
ing experience was limited then, and the new structure had an ailing 
existence of only eight or nine years. August 28th, 1801, a part of 
the bridge fell in ruins while a drove of cattle were passing over it. 
Of the herd 59 sheep, 6 cows and a horse, saddled and bridled, 
perished in the waters below, and were paid for by the afflicted 
proprietors. 



58 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL 

In the winter of 1S02-3, the superstructure of the bridge was re- 
built, upon the piers of the old, by Asa Town, Esq., contractor. It 
was a truss bridge of three frame arches and one — the great centre 
arch — of solid boards or plank. This form of arch, now very com- 
mon, proved defective, and the great centre span fell in ruins causing 
delay, expense and discouragement. It was promptly repaired, but 
only four years thereafter, February 15th, 1S07, a great freshet and 
run of ice swept away the larger part of the bridge. Then the pro- 
prietors petitioned the General Court for leave to raise money by 
lottery to rebuild, but they were refused the privilege. 

Previous to this re-building, the bridge had stood on the site of the 
];resent railroad bridge ; this new structure was moved up stream to 
the present location, and permanent stone piers were substituted for 
wood. These piers, at times terribly damaged by ice and logs, and 
since increased in height and thoroughly repaired, now support the 
present structure, excepting that the northern and southern abutments 
have been entirely rebuilt, the former somewhat inland to clear the 
plunge of the dam. The first northern pier was reconstructed after 
the great freshet and jam of logs in 1870. 

In 1837 the late John Wilson, of Methuen, built the old structure 
upon which many of the first comers to the new city rode over more 
than thirty years ago. It was a primitive sort of affair without side- 
walks, the entire width of twenty feet was still further reduced by 
huge strengthening timbers within the high board railing, leaving but 
seventeen feet of passage way crowded with travelers flocking in and 
teams loaded with material for the dam, canal, new buildings and 
mill foundations from the ledges of South Lawrence and elsewhere. 

The latter history of the bridge is well known. The Essex Com- 
pany absorbed it in 1846. In the spring of 1848, the structure was 
rebuilt and raised nearly ten feet to the level of the railway line by 
Stone & Harris, contractors. The new structure was a frame truss of 
the Howe patent. Stephen P. Simmons, Esq., a present resident. 




ROBERT HASKELL TEWKSBURY, 

Cashier of the Essex Company. Born in Hopkinton, N. H., April ii, 
1833. Has been in Lawrence twenty-seven years. Was a member of 
the Board of Assessors in 1862-3. City Treasurer and Collector from 
1864 to 1874. Mayor of Lawrence 1875. A member of the board 
having in charge the Lawrence Water Works since the completion of 
the same. Is secretary of the Old Residents' Association or Local 
Historical Society of Lawrence. Married Angelia C. Hawthorne, 
November, 1859 ; has two sons living. Resides at 249 Jackson St. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 59 

raised and thoroughly repaired the piers at this time. In the great 
freshet of 1852, the toll-house, south abutment and fishway all went 
down in the rush of waters. 

In 1 85 8 the bridge was thoroughly and economically reconstructed 
by Morris Knowles, Esq., who is still active in life's duty, on the 
present plan of arches supporting from beneath. 

An Act of the legislature of 1868, secured mainly by efforts of 
our townsman, the Hon. John K. Tarbox, resulted in the laying out 
of this and Lawrence bridge below as a public highway. There was 
much rejoicing at this newly acquired freedom from tolls which had 
been imposed for three quarters of a century, although by the county 
commissioners' award the city was saddled with the expense of main- 
taining it forever. Judge N. W. Harmon, served for many years 
as clerk and treasurer of this corporation, and Hon. John R. Rollins 
succeeded him. 

June 2oth, 1825, a large number of citizens from the region round 
about, congregated upon the old bridge to welcome General Lafayette 
in his triumphal journey from Boston to Concord, N. H., and the 
north. He traveled in an open carriage, with richly caparisoned 
horses, and was attended by noted men. Andover cavalry and sev- 
eral companies of infantry acted as escort. At Methuen he met and 
recognized an old infantry soldier of his corps, and the citizens mar- 
shaled by Major Benjamin Osgood gave him a hearty welcome. The 
Andover cavalry escorted him to the New Hampshire State line 
where he was received with honors. 

Asa Pettingill, the first toll gatherer, had a salary of ten pounds, 
$33.33 per year and the use of toll-house and garden. After thirty 
years the salary was raised, the directors formally voting to allow nine 
dollars and one gallon of lamp oil per month as salary, and to grant 
the use of the proprietors' cooking-stove for three dollars rental per 
annum. 



6o QUARTER-CENTENNIAL 

At one time the directors voted to allow all going from Andover to 
Methuen to church on Sunday to pass free of toll. The toll-man 
was surprised at the religious interest attracting Andover people to 
the north bank, but on inquiry could learn of no special awakening. 
Feeling that their liberality had been abused, they voted to allow only 
those known to the toll man as church goers to pass free, this in- 
volved that official in dispute as to the religious habits of travelers, 
and it was voted to charge saints and sinners alike, both Sundays and 
week days. The record shows, however, that the directors voted for 
several years to allow Adolphus Durant, Esq., with his family to go 
from Methuen to Andover to church free of toll. They also by re- 
peated votes gave that exemplary and indefatigable pioneer preacher, 
whose memory is honored and revered. Dr. George Packard, free use 
of the bridge in his journeys to and from the new parish. This re- 
cord is valuable, showing that the oldest corporation had a soul, and 
while everything else paid toll the "good news" went free to the 
deserving. 

Junketing is not a modern custom. The proprietors of our old 
bridge found solace at the Shawsheen corner taverns where their 
meetings were held. In the season of 1S02, Benjamin Ames, inn- 
keeper at the old Essex House, charged 21 suppers, 19 pints of gin, 
4 1-2 mugs of toddy and 4 "boals of punch," with a liberal supply 
of brandy. The corporation paid 8 pounds, 14 shillings and one 
penny for these sustaining supplies. Another season they contracted 
a bill of 513.75 for "rum, brandy, sugar and horse baiting," and the 
poor horses got but 15 cents worth of supplies. One abstemious 
and economical director contracted at every meeting the uniform 
charge of "half a glass of rum and one biscuit." The gTeat bill of 
liquors came when, in the summer of 1802, they rebuilt the bridge. 
John and Henry Poor, innkeepers at the Shawsheen, supplied the 
workmen with one hundred and eleven gallons of N. E. and W. I. 
rum, and with 142 lbs. of sugar for sweetning ; the charge was made 




EDMUND R. HAYDEN, 



Coal and Wood Dealer at corner of Merrimack St. and Broadway, and 
Common St., near north depot ; residence 8i 'Fremont St. Resident 
in Lawrence since 1853. Born at Harvard, Mass., Dec. 23d, 1819. 
Received an ordinary common school education. Worked at stone 
cutting until 1851, when he went to California, returning in April, 1853. 
Married Charlotte Fairbanks, Apr. 4, 1844 ; has one son. Attends the 
universalist church. Served as policeman from 1854 until 1863 ; was 
marshal at time of Pemberton Mills disaster, i860. Entered the wood 
business in 1863 near the depot, where W. P. Clark's store now stands. 
Bought out Wm. D. Joplin in 1S66, and united with F. L. Runals in 
the wood and coal business, under the firm name of Runals & Hayden. 
Bought out Mr. Runals in 1874, since conducting business alone. 
Was chosen mayor in 1875, and held the office in 1876. 



HISTORY OF I^UVRENCE, MASS. 6 1 

in many items, and $142.00 paid out of the company's treasury 
therefor. No toddy or punch was supplied to laborers, they took 
rum straight or went dry. Laborers and mechanics then had 67 
cents to J^i.oo per day; a yoke of oxen could be hired for 84 cents 
per day. A night's lodging at the old Shawsheen tavern appears, 
from old bills, to have cost the traveler eight cents ; a' generous dinner, 
twenty-five cents ; a week's board, one dollar and eighty-four cents. 
There was trouble about the toll-man selling rum in the early days. 
A substantial citizen filed his remonstrance, stating that he sold the 
land on which the toll-house stands with the understanding that grog 
should never be sold thereon, but he states that said toll-house is 
known to be a flourishing grog-shop. In reading this protest one ad- 
mires this old pioneer temperance reformer for a moment, but loses 
faith in him when he plainly states further on, that by reason of such 
sale his own business as a seller of grog at the corner, half a mile 
beyond, had been ruined, and he has been compelled to close his 
house of entertainment. The proprietors appointed a committee to 
secure a toll-man who would not sell grog. No doubt they were suc- 
cessful as Deacon James D. Herrick, sat at the receipt of tolls twenty- 
two years, faithfully bearing witness against rum and rum-selling as 
the vilest of abominations, the most flagrant of evils. 

What a sight it would be to stand upon this old thoroughfare as it 
was four score years ago, and see the old-time preachers of Andover 
and Methuen ambling over the shaking timbers, clad in saintly garb, 
the three cornered hat, cleanly broadcloth and clerical wig, mounted 
upon beasts of subdued aspect, probably a fair orthodox wife on the 
pillion behind her exemplary lord. The old doctor, with saddle-bags, 
the one filled with calomel, seneca, salts, emetics and like mild com- 
pounds for ordinary cases, the other with lancets, pewter syringes of 
all sizes, surgeon's cutlery and tooth pulling instruments, sweep by on 
his mission of healing. The girl of that period, unused to pull-backs 
and fashions' devices, sat in the side-saddle as easily and gracefully 



62 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL 

as the modern belle in the cushioned carriage and cantered over the 
bridge as lovely and loveable as a womanly woman is in all ages and 
lands. 

On muster and training days the old militia marched over the 
swaying arches, here and there in the ranks, revolutionary patriots in 
regimentals, that would now excite derision, but which invested them 
with more than royal dignity, and awakened all the pride and anima- 
tion of their patriotic natures. On public days, soldier and citizen 
drank punch from tubs made of rum-barrels sawn in half. One old 
resident says he worked all day, when a boy, pounding lemons in 
these tubs with a maul, earning one cent each tub, and there were 
six other boys at the same novel employment, in the grounds of the 
Shawsheen and Essex House, that muster day. 

Among the names of stockholders is that of Sir Grenville Temple, 
of England. Phillips Academy, of Andover, carried a heavy amount 
for a long time. Much stock was sold for a song for non-payment of 
assessments. 

The half mile from the bridge to the Shawsheen House corner, 
was the race track in old times, where owners of fast horses tried 
the speed and endurance of their nags on muster, election and ordi- 
nation days. 

About 1 8 14, some fifteen British officers, prisoners, were quartered 
under guard at this corner to keep them away from the shipping of 
the ports. An old lady resident remembers them as excellent dan- 
cers, very good looking, very civil and very gallant young men. She 
added that they were strangely hated by the men, especially the 
young men, and hate was no name for the feeling of the boys towards 
the precocious, swaggering little nigger they had for a servant. He 
tormented the bashful country boys with boasting how his masters 
would yet conquer the country, banish all the men, marry the pret- 
tiest girls and make him overseer of the plantation of Shawsheen 
Fields. 




CALEB SAUNDERS, 

Lawyer. Office, Saunders Block, 246 Essex St., residence 6 Andover 
St. Born in North Andover, Sept. 4th, 1838, and came to Lawrence 
wlien five years old. Is the son of Daniel Saunders, Sr., the pioneer 
of the city. He has resided in Lawrence from its earliest inception. 
Mr. Saunders received his early education in the common schools, and 
fitted for college in the high schools ; graduated at Bowdoin College in 
1859. Married Carrie F. Stickney in 1865 ; has two children. Is a 
regular attendant at Grace Episcopal Church. Enlisted in Co. I, 6th 
Regiment, Apr. 15, 1861, and was with the regiment in its famous 
march through Baltimore ; commissioned first lieutenant in ist Mass. 
H. A. in 1862. Member of common council in 1867-9. Alderman 
in 1873, ^^^ mayor in 1877. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS.' 63 

The officers and directors of the old company were men of note 
and abihty. Col. Loami Baldwin, first president, was noted civil en- 
gineer in his day ; of his successors. Major Benjamin Osgood, of 
Methuen, was a flourishing farmer and householder ; Gayton P. Os- 
good was a member of Congress ; Abbott Lawrence was Minister to 
the Court of St. James ; without his word and name Lawrence would 
not have been founded, his word and gift established the Franklin 
Lilrary, without which the city might still lack a Public Library. 
Another, Hon. Charles S. Storrow, engineered and directed the build- 
ing of the city, and his works praise him in this valley. 

The active management of the corporation naturally fell into the 
hands of Andover and Methuen owners. The first meeting of organ- 
ization was at the inn of Brinsley Stevens. Mr. Nehemiah Abbott, 
Captain Caleb Swan, and Mr. Benjamin Poor, were the first resident 
directors. Mr. Abbott was vice-president of the board, and seems to 
have been a sort of managing director. Major Joseph Stevens was 
first treasurer, serving many years ; his successors were Captain John 
Kneeland, Amos Blanchard, Joseph Rice, some of them serving more 
than twenty years. The first clerk was Deacon John Huse, of Me- 
thuen, succeeded by Samuel Abbott Kneeland, Amos Blanchard, 
Samuel Phillips, John Flint and Joseph Rice. 

Hon.. John Phillips and Ezra Abbott of Andover, and Zadock 
Bodwell, of Methuen, were also prominent directors, the former for a 
time president. 

It would amuse modern referees to read the record ordering the 
employment of a commission of three "artists" to examine the con- 
dition of the bridge, and report thereon, and finding the three artists 
charging collectively tlirec dollars for the service. At another time a 
mechanical "expert "was employed to pass judgment at an expense 
of a dollar and a half. The modern expert and artist would hardly 
look at the ordinary mortal for those trivial amounts. 



64 QUARTER-CENTENXIAL 

An old gentleman tells a story of one of the directors. He was a 
great farmer, given to experimenting. A spring freshet brought up 
great quantities of eels, and, subsiding, left them high and dry in 
pools and hollows. He conceived the idea of boiling them and 
feeding to swine, of which he had many. His old hired man re- 
n:ionstrated, telling him it was "agin natur to try and fatten pork with 
fish," besides, Deacon, he says, "if you succeed we shan't know what 
we're eatin', pork or lamper eels." But the deacon had a cart load 
of eels drawn up to the barrn, he filled the great kettles in the back 
kitchen with eels, Indian meal and water, kindled the fire and lay 
down for a doze. But animals that squirm in the frying pan would 
not submit to boiling without protest, the hot water revived them all 
and each one became an agonizing serpent. They covered the floor 
of the old room, writhing in their agony, and knocking the fire brands 
about the floor. The deacon nerved himself for the contest and 
commenced the slaughter of the innocents ; an old negro, a new 
comer, who lived with a neighbor, and knew nothing of live eels, 
heard the outcry, and looking in saw the sea of serpents and fire 
brands, with the good man laying about him. He ran howling home, 
saying that more than a thousand devils had got the deacon penned 
up in the kitchen, but he was fighting and prevailing against them 
calling mightily on the Lord for help. The deacon said, though they 
were not Satanic foes, it was the hardest job of his life to'subdue 
those eels, maintain his standing as deacon, and at the same time 
express himself in language sufficiently emphatic. 

Eighty-five years have passed since John Hancock first legalized 
the charter for the ancient bridge. For half a century thereafter the 
bridge itself was the solitary evidence of substantial progress in this 
valley. In all the plain no church spire pointed to heaven, no un- 
usual enterprise disturbed the dreamy quiet ; the Merrimack rolled 
unchecked to the sea. Many a time did our Lawrence pioneer, 
Daniel Saunders, now gone to his rest, rein up old " Snow Ball," the 




JAMES RAE SIMPSON, 

Grocer, 343 Essex St. ; residence, 24 Lowell St. Has been in Law- 
rence nearly 26 years. Born at Stanstead, P. Q., Jan. 14, 1832. His 
Honor James R. Simpson commenced life in humble circumstances. 
Worked on a farm and attended common school and the Wesleyan 
Academy, being employed as a teacher when fifteen. Married Julia H. 
Coan in 1860 ; has two children. Holds liberal views and attends the 
Unitarian church. Came to this State in 1 849 ; was first employed in 
Boston, and afterwards at Manchester, N. H. Print Works, for some 
time having charge of a room. Removed to Lawrence, intending to 
pursue the same business, but subsequently entered into mercantile 
pursuits, in which he is now engaged under firm name of James R. 
Simpson & Co. Common council, 1863 ; elected mayor for 1878. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 65 

white horse he rode, to the tunibhng rapids, as he crossed the old 
bridge, and dream of the possibihty of harnessing that wasting power 
to the machinery of workshops and mills, thus consummating, as 
Whittier has it, the marriage of Beauty with Use. 

In March, 1845, fourteen gentlemen of means, skill and enterprise, 
stood upon the bridge, with a newly granted charter to improve the 
power at these falls. Then and there they rudely conceived the plan 
which, developed and persistently followed, has dotted this plain with 
spires, and reared upon the river bank a file of great workshops, the 
centre and support of ten thousand homes. 

The four square miles of barren plain surrounding old Andover 
bridge are no longer unimportant. Industries have developed there- 
on, gathering raw material from the wide world and scattering finished 
products far and near. Old residents by firesides on every hillside and 
valley of the land, follow with loving interest the fortunes of children 
who have left their homes, bringing to this new born city strength of 
muscle, skill of hand, and cunning of brain, to barter as merchandise 
for honest livelihood and ultimate riches in this labor market of the 
world's busiest valley. 

In humble homes of many lands across the sea old residents doze 
and dream vaguely of a new and vigorous city on the banks of an 
American river, where their children thrive by labor and their daugh- 
ters' children enjoy the new found privileges of free American life. 

The prophecy and promise of the old time has been fulfilled. A 
little one has become a thousand, a small one a strong nation. The 
solitary place is glad for them ; the desert rejoices and blossoms as 
the rose. 



VII. 
THE CHURCHES. 



It is an incontrovertible fact that the Church of God stands nearer 
the sympathies of the people than any other institution. So long as 
men are mortal, religion comes in as a practical solace and support. 
Human i)hilosophy is no consolation in bereavement. And, though 
men are learning more every day that true religion should be shrouded 
in no mystery, the heart can never be made believe that " Marseill- 
aise" and ''Yankee Doodle" are as suitable for obsequies as the fu- 
neral psalm which hushed the old Christian mother to her last sleep ; 
neither can the lectures of scientists on bioplasms or homogeneous 
matter fill a void in the human heart. 

An All-wise Providence has put it into the hearts of all His rational 
creatures to worship. It is as natural as it is to love. Every man 
has his object of adoration and even 

" Tlie heatlien in his hliiuliiess 
Bows down to wood and stone." 

It is not Strange then that the comers to the "new city" should at 
once cast about them for a place to hold meetings. The men who 
first came to found the city were of the primitive New England stock, 
but they were soon followed by a train of laborers of all extractions, 
though largely Irish, many of them direct from the Emerald Isle. 
All sects had an ey^ to the establishment of a church in accordance 
with their peculiar tenets. It is a fact in history that men of the 
Congregational belief were the first to inaugurate public religious 
worship. In the month of April, 1846, the same month that the 
Essex Company had the first land sale, arrangements were made for 
a preaching service in the Essex Company's Broadway boarding 




THOMAS CLEGG, 

Manufacturer of Loom Reeds and Harnesses, also Leather Board ; 
mill on South Canal, Lawrence, Mass. Residence, ;^;^ Prospect St. 
Has been in Lawrence thirteen years. Born at Rochdale, England, 
Jan. 8, 1820. At the early age of eleven years he engaged in the 
trade of reed and harness making, and is therefore familiar with it in 
every detail. In 1 84 1 he came to this country and located in Andover, 
and in 1862 he came to this city, engaging in the reed and harness 
business in 1865. In 1876 he moved to the new mill on the south 
canal and added the manufacture of leather board to his other rapidly 
increasing business. Mr. Clegg was a member of the board of alder- 
men from Ward I, in 1875, 1876 and 1878. 



QUARTER-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 



67 



house, where now stands the storeof E.W.Pierce. The sermon was de- 
Hvered by Rev. Silas Curtis, a Freewill Baptist clergyman. During 
the summer of the same year services were held in the Durant 
school house, and a Sabbath School was organized by the Congrega- 
tion alists, and they also made arrangements and commenced the 
erection of a vestry. The Methodists also commenced to organize 
that sum.mer and had preaching service one Sabbath. 

EPISCOPALS. 

The first place of worship was completed for occupancy, and was oc- 
cupied on the second5abbath of October that same year, (1846.) It 




REV. GEORGE PACK.ARD. 



was where Grace Chapel now stands on Garden street. Rev. George 
Packard rode over from North Andover that morning and conducted 



68 QUARTER-CEXTEXXIAL 

the service.. At the 25th anniversary of Grace Episcopal Church, 
held October 11, 1871, of which this beginning developed, Dr. 
Packard in his memorable address said : 

" I remember well that beautiful autumnal day, and as I rode over 
from North Andover, where my family were then residing ; I was 
wholly uncertain as to the congregation, which my published notice 
might draw to this first house of worship erected within the present 
limits of our city. As the appointed hour drew near, one after 
another came in, until a congregation of about two hundred, some 
of whom were Episcopalians, were gathered for a service to which 
most present were utter strangers. At that tinre only two houses in 
this part of the city had been added to the few old residences, one 
of which was then occupied, the house on Prospect street into which 
Mr. Charles S. Storrow had moved the week previously, and the 
other, built by the Machine Shop Company, was soon occupied by 
their agent, Mr. Caleb Marvel. Two or three buildings erected on 
the south side of Common street, east of this church, as many on 
Oak and F^lm streets, on the plain, as it is now called, a brick build- 
ing, now the second from Essex street, on Amesbury street, west side, 
and the ten boarding houses on the west side of the Turnpike, now 
Broadway, with a few tenements opposite to them, were the finished 
new buildings in what was then called the New City, or by some, 
Merrimac. From these and the old houses, crowded with occupants, 
my congregation had come. It was composed almost entirely of 
men, who had gathered here from all parts to lay the foundations o( 
this new manufacturing town. Ecclesiastically, they were of all sorts 
and conditions. 

"The text of my first sermon, was the precious promise of the Sav- 
iour, " Lo / I am with you always, even unto the end 0/ the 2oor/<i.'' 
And, having remarked upon the instrumentality for good that day 
opened, I said, "The basis of our confidence and hope is this prom- 
ise of our once crucified but now risen Lord. Looking within and 




JAMES G. ABBOTT, 

Al)bott's Methuen, Boston & Lawrence Express ; Lawrence office at 
5 Appleton St. Residence, 66 E. Haverhill St. Born at Andover, Me., 
1837. Removed to Methuen when four years old. Came to this city 
when the Essex Comi)any commenced operations, 1846. Educated 
in the common schools of Lawrence. Enlisted in the union army in 
1861 ; was recruiting officer, and provost marshal at Camp Lander for 
several months. Went to the front as ist lieutenant, Co., H., 4th Mass. 
Reg't, and was with that regiment during its term of service. Was in- 
spector in the custom house from 1867 to 1 871, resigning to engage 
in his present business. Mr. Abbott has a medal from the Humane 
Society of Mass. for rescuing two boys from drowning in 1867. Was 
councilman in 187 1-2, and is alderman from Ward H the present 
year. Has a wife and four children. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 69 

around us, we may well fear and tremble ; looking upward, we have 
confidence and hope. Upon this and other kindred assurances of our ■ 
Lord antl Master, the Church collectively may, should rest. Our 
trust is not in an arm of flesh, but in the Lord, mighty and willing to 
show mercy. We must not lose sight of these promises for good to 
Zion. We must plead earnestly and perseveringly before the throne, 
and if we do, having faith, and that faith leading to humble, prayer- 
ful, and untiring effort, our experience will be that " /^(?/ one good 
tiling hatli failed its of all tJiat the Lord hath spoken^ 

Air. Packard gave notice that a Sunday School would be opened 
the next Sunday, and on that day, October i8th, there were three 
teachers and eight scholars. November, 19th, 1846, the church was 
consecrated under the title of Grace church, by Bishop Eastburn. 
In ten years more the society had grown so that a new edifice was 
needed, and the present stone structure was decided on. It was con- 
secrated in May, 1852, by Bishop Eastburn. At that time the walls 
were uncolored and they remained so till i860, when they were painted 
and a window of stained glass put in the chancel. Dr. Packard 
closed his earthly pilgrimage November 30th, 1876, having completed 
a thirty years' pastorate of the church. To him the city as well as 
Grace church is largely indebted. The funeral was largely attended. 
Bishop Paddock conducting the service. An affecting incident was 
the ])resence of two old gentlemen — one named DeRinzey, a resi- 
dent of the city, almost at death's door himself, the other a colored 
barber of Ward Six, both having attended the first service Dr. Pack- 
ard preached in Lawrence. 

About a year before Dr. Packard's death. Rev. Wm. Lawrence had 
been engaged as assistant, and after death, Mr. Lawrence was made 
rector and still remains in that position. A beautiful memorial win- 
dow, commemorative of Dr. Packard, has lately been i)ut in the 
chancel of the church. 



70 QUARTER-CEXTENNIAL 

St. John's church, now worshipping on Bradford street, began to 
hold services in the engine house on Morton street. Dr. Packard 
and others officiating. The church was first built on Morton street 
on a lot adjoining the engine house. In 1869 the church was re- 
moved to Bradford street where it now stands. Its first rector was 
Prof. Allen, who remained one year. Rev. Mr. Lee four years, and the 
Rev. Belno A. Brown left this year, after a five years' rectorship, to or- 
ganize a new church in Methuen. The present rector of St. John's 
is the Rev. Mr. Wells. About five years ago a surpliced choir was intro- 
duced under the distinguished leadership of Mr. Charles Abercrom- 
bie, who is now principal tenor at Her Majesty's Chapel Royal. The 
church building cost about S8,ooo, which was all subscribed and the 
edifice consecrated about four years ago by the present "Bishop of 
Massachusetts. 

Mr. Frederick Butler who took a very active interest in St. John's 
church was senior warden until two years ago, when he resigned in 
favor of Mr. James Walton, the present incumbent. There are now 
about 250 communicants. A rectory is now in contemplation by the 
wardens and vestry, and is expected to be built in a very short time 
on a piece of land adjoining the church. 

CONGREGATIONALISTS. 

The believers of this faith were first to organize for religious pur- 
poses. On the 1 2th of June, 1846, nine persons petitioned John 
Tenney, Esq., of Methuen, to issue a warrant calling a meeting to 
organize a Congregational Society in "Essex City," in Methuen ; and 
on the 8th of August, accordingly, was organized the "Merrimack 
Congregational Society," since transformed into the Lawrence Street 
Society, and a house, 44 by 30 feet, was soon after commenced, oc- 
cupying nearly the site of the present building ; this was so far com- 
pleted as to be occupied for service in December, and was dedicated 









JOSEPH SHATTUCK, 

Grocer, corner of Essex and Aniesbury Streets. Has been in the city 
since its commencement. Born in Andover, in 1827. Educated at 
Phillips Academy. Entered the grocery of Josiah Crosby (the first 
grocery store opened in the town) as clerk, in 1845. Succeeded Mr. 
Crosby, engaging in business for himself in 1850. A year later he 
was joined in business by his brother, Charles VV., the firm contin- 
uing to the present time. Increasing business demanded the build- 
ing of their present brick block two years ago. Mr. Shattuck is a 
director of the Bay State National Bank ; president of the Essex Sav- 
ings Bank, and a director of the Lowell & Lawrence R. R. Married 
Maria Cobb in 1857 ; has three children. Is at present a member of 
the board of aldermen, from Ward III. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 7 1 

January loth, 1847. The next Sunday, Rev. Lyman Whiting, of 
North Brookfield, preached his first sermon to the new society. The 
church was organized by an ecclesiastical council April 9th, with 
twenty-nine members, and on June i6th, Rev. Lyman Whiting was 
installed pastor. The present house of worship was dedicated Octo- 
ber nth, 1848. Mr. Whiting was dismissed in January 1850, and 
Rev. Henry M. Storrs, of Braintree, was ordained over the church, 
January 15th, 1852, and remained its pastor till March ist, 1855, 
Rev. George B. Wilcox was pastor from September 24th, 1856, to 
April 13th, 1859, and Rev. Caleb Ellis Fisher from April 13th, 1859, 
to October 1874. 

Mr. Fisher was pastor over this church fifteen years, the long- 
est term of service rendered by any one clergyman — and to his 
eminent service the present prosperity of the church is largely due. 
Next to Dr. Packard he was the most representative minister ever 
settled in the city. He was earnest in the faith, but his love was as 
broad as the brotherhood of man. His life-work was here, and soon 
after he left, his health failed and he lived but a short time. 

Rev. Joshua Coit, the present pastor, was installed May 23d, 1874. 
The present membership of the church is 569. The Sunday school 
membership is 307. 

The Central Congregational Church of Lawrence, was organized 
Dec. 25, 1849. Rev. H. M. Dexter preached the sermon on that 
occasion, and Rev. Lyman Whiting, then pastor of the Lawrence 
Street Church in this place, gave the fellowship of the churches. On 
the Sabbath following, the new church commenced pubhc religious 
services in the City Hall, which they continued to occupy until the 
first Sabbath in August, 1854, when they removed to their new house 
of worship, a substantial brick building, at the corner of Essex and 
Appleton streets. On Friday, the 12th of August, 1859, at a httle 
past noon, this new house was destroyed by fire. On the Sabbath 
following, the congregation assembled in the City Hall, where they 



72 QUARTER-CENTEN'XIAL 

continued to worship about four months. The regular services of 
the church and Sunday school during this period, were uninterrupted ; 
the evening meetings being held in the chapel of Grace Church, on 
Oarden street. 

On the 30th of September, seven weeks after the destruction of 
the former house of worship, the corner stone of a new one was laid 
with appropriate services, on a lot secured for the purpose on Haver- 
hill street, north of the Common. On^ the second Sabbath of Jan- 
uary, r86o, the congregation met for worship in the basement of 
their new stone building, which was so arranged as to accommodate 
them with very slight inconvenience. On the 8th of June, i860, the 
whole building was dedicated to the Triune God, a sermon being 
preached on the occasion by the pastor. Rev. Daniel Tenney, from 
Haggai, ii : 9. 

Rev. Lyman Whiting and Rev. E. Whittlesey first served the 
church as stated supply. The first pastor was Rev. W. C. Foster, 
January 16, 1852. February 17, 1857, Rev. Daniel Tenney succeed- 
ed him and was followed by Rev. Mr. Cordley, who passed away 
from earth while in the discharge of his duties here. Rev. W. E. 
Park was the only pastor between Mr. Cordley and the present pas- 
tor. Rev. Geo. H. Ide. The latter was installed November i, 1876. 
Number of members 343. 

A Sabbath school composed of the children and adult members of 
the congregation, was early organized, and has uniformly been in a 
flourishing condition. 

In August 1865, ^ joint meeting of the Lawrence street and Cen- 
tral churches unanimously resolved that a third Congregational church 
was needed, and on the 30th, ten persons met, proposing to join in 
the formation of the new church. Wm. A. Russell, Geo. A. Fuller, 
C. A. Brown, E. E. Foster and B. T. Bourne were appointed a build- 
ing committee. September 28th it was voted to organize the Eliot 
church, and on the first day of October the first public service of the 




■^"f/SB^^-^y-"' 



GEORGE SANBORN, 



C'arpenter, for Essex Company. Residence 99 Bradford street. Has 
been in Lawrence 33 years, being one of the earliest comers to the 
"new city," and in the employ of the Essex Company since its or- 
ganization. Mr. Sanborn was born in Epping, N. H., 1823, and 
learned the carpenter's trade before coming to this city. Had a 
common school education. Has a family — wife and two children. 
Attends Lawrence Street Congregationalist church. Was a member 
of Common Council 1875-76, and is Alderman from Ward IV the 
present year. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 73 

church was held in the City Hall, Prof. J. H. Thayer, of Andover 
Theological Seminary preaching. October 4th the church was re- 
cognized by council, ground having been broken two days before for 
the present edifice. The original membership was 32. In June 1866, 
the church voted to invite Rev. Wm. Franklin Snow, who had been 
supplying the pulpit for four months, to become its pastor. The 
house was dedicated September 6th, and on the 13th following Mr. 
Snow was installed as pastor. His ministry was terminated by death 
January 11, 1871. During his pastorate the church gained from 42 
to 216. On the 28th of April 1871, it was voted to extend to Rev. 
T. T. Munger a call to be pastor of the church, which was accepted 
on the 27th of April, and, on the 14th of June following, a council 
was summoned to install the newly elected pastor, the installation 
sermon being given by Rev. J. M. Manning, D. D., of the old South 
church, Boston. Soon after the beginning of the new ministry a 
society was formed to take charge of the property of the church. 
On the 2oth of January 1875, ^^- Munger resigned the pastorate on 
account of the illness of his family. The resignation was regretfully 
accepted, and on the 21st of February 1875, Mr. Munger closed his 
labors with the Eliot church, a sorrow to a great many people. On 
the 5th of February 1875, ^ ^^^^ ^^^ extended to Rev. J. H. Bar- 
rows to become pastor of the church. This was accepted and on 
the 14th of March following, Mr. Barrows began his labors. On the 
29th of April he was ordained and installed, Rev. E. K. Alden, D. D.^ 
of Boston, preaching the sermon. Mr. Barrows is with the church 
to-day. The growth of the church has been rapid, having increased 
from 42 in 1865 to 236. During Mr. Barrows' ministry 102 mem- 
bers have been added. The Sunday School membership is now 215. 
The South Congregational church originated in a Sunday School 
first convened by M. C. Andrews and J. B. Fairfield in a school 
house on Andover street in 1852. The school was continued till 
185 7 by the founders. At that time Geo. A. Fuller became connected 



74 (,)UARTER-CENTENNIAL 

with it, and it was soon removed to the engine house and then to the 
passenger room of the Boston and Maine depot, where it was held 
till its friends built a small chapel which was dedicated in 1859. In 
1 86 1 the chapel was enlarged. In 1869 it was again too small and 
that year the building now occupied was built, being dedicated De- 
cember 25th. An effort was made to have regular services there, and 
Prof. Edwards A. Park, of Andover Theological Seminary, began to 
supply the pulpit in October 1865, continuing to do so for three 
years. Mr. Fuller left the school in 1866 to join the newly formed 
Eliot church. To Mr. Fuller's energy is largely due the success of 
the South Lawrence enterprise. Joel Barnes succeeded Mr. Fuller as 
superintendent, and was followed by George Hardy, J. K. Cole, and 
the present superintendent, J. H. Lovett. The church was organized 
May 1 8th, 186S, but had no regular pastor till 1S73. Rev. James G. 
Dougherty supplied the desk one year beginning October 1869, and 
in March 1870, Rev. L. Z. Ferris began a term as acting pastor and 
continued two years. January ist, 1873, ^he present pastor. Rev- 
Clark Carter, began pastoral duty and was installed January 30th. 
The church organized with 47 members and now has' 98, 65 having 
joined during Mr. Carter's pastorate. The Sunday School is a flour- 
ishing department of the church and numbers about 145. 

There are two other Congregational churches in the city. The 
Tower Hill Congregationalist was organized in 1877. This body of 
worshippers were organized under the name of Trinity Methodists in 
1872, but in a few years it was found that a large majority of the at- 
tendants was in full sympathy with the Congregational faith, and accord- 
ingly the name of the. church was changed. They have no settled 
minister at present. 

On the 9th of March 1878, forty-three out of fifty two worshippers 
desiring to have the Riverside Sunday School instituted into a Cong- 
regational church, a conference was convened that day and the church 
fully instituted. The pulpit is supplied from the Andover Institution. 




LUTHER LADD, 



Treasurer and Agent of the Lawrence Lumber Company. Office at 
Essex Yard. Has been in Lawrence thirty-two years, ^^'as born at 
Gihnanton, N. H., in 1821. Li early life he worked at lumbering and 
in a saw mill. E^ngaged with the Lawrence Lumber Company soon 
after arriving in this city, and has continued his connection with said 
company ever since. Resides at 9 Morton Street ; his family consists 
of a wife and two children. Is a regular attendant at the Lawrence 
Street Congregational Church. Mr. Ladd is one of the directors of 
the Bay State National Bank ; has been chief engineer of the Lawrence 
Fire Department seventeen years. Alderman in 1862 and the pres- 
ent year. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 75 



BAPTISTS. 



Soon after the commencement of active operations by the Essex 
Company, a few individuals — Ephriam Ward, Jr., Elbridge Weston, 
Wm. Hardy, Asa H. Gould, J. C. Whitney, Samuel Easter, and S. 
Lyford, feeling the necessity of establishing their identity as Baptists, 
consulted together at the house of Samuel Easter. The result was a 
determination to have occasional preaching from ministers of their 
own denomination. On Sunday, February 14th, 1847, Rev. Mr. Fitz 
preached the first sermon to a Baptist congregation, in the "Old 
School-house," then located near what is now the site of the first 
Methodist church. Meetings were held and occasional sermons 
preached, but no definite steps, of which there is any record, were 
taken, looking to an organization, until March nth, 1847, when a 
meeting was held at the house of Mr. Samuel Easter " for the purpose 
of considering the propriety of forming a Baptist church, and to take 
measures in regard to erecting a house of worship." Committees 
were appointed to "deliberate upon the question whether the owner- 
ship should be vested in the church or in a society, and to select a 
site upon which to build." At a subsequent meeting, March 25th, 
the committee reported in favor of vesting the ownership of all prop- 
erty in a society, and the lot in the rear of the present edifice was 
selected as a building lot for a temporary house of worship. At this 
meeting a committee to raise funds to build a house was appointed, 
and a constitution informally adopted. The first blow was struck 
upon the temporary house, March 26th, 1847, and was occupied for 
the first time on the 14th of April. This house was 25 by 40 feet, 
and was abundantly capacious for the wants of the society at that 
time. But on the 28th of November, in the same year, the demand 
for seats could not be supplied, and an addition of twenty-five feet 
was made to its length. So rapid, however, was the increase of the 
society that it was found necessary to take immediate steps toward 



76 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL 

the erection of a permanent house of worship. June 12th, 1849, 
ground was broken upon the site of the present edifice, which was 
given to the society by the Essex Company. The basement was 
finished and occupied on the first Sunday in January, 1850. On the 
20th of October, 1850, the house was dedicated to the worship of 
God, Rev. J. G. Richardson preaching the dedicatory sermon from 
Psalms, 93 : 5. 

Convinced of the necessity of securing the labors of an efficient 
under-shepherd to watch over the interests of the flock gathered in 
this young but enterprising city, on the 5th of September the church 
extended a call to the Rev. J. G. Richardson to become their pastor, 
which he accepted, and on the 20th of October, he entered upon his 
labors with them, and was publicly installed as pastor, December 5th, 
1847. He remained till July, 1853. December 27th, 1853, Rev. A. 
W. Sawyer was ordained and installed over the church. He remained 
two years and three months. In 1856 Rev. Frank Remington was 
installed, and began his labor on the first of September. Mr. Rem- 
ington resigned in August 1859, and the pulpit was supplied for 
some months by Rev. J. Sella Martin. In December 1859, Rev. 
Henry F. Lane was called. He left in November 1862 to accept the 
chaplaincy of the 41st (three years) regiment Mass. volunteers. In 
August, 1863, the next pastor, Rev. George Knox, began his work, 
and he too left to become chaplain of the 29th Maine regiment. He 
was killed in Washington by being thrown from his horse. Septem- 
ber I, 1865, Rev. Dr. Geo. W. Bosworth became pastor, remaining 
three years and four months. He was succeeded by the present pas- 
tor, John B. Gough Pidge, who was ordained September 8, 1869. 

The Second Baptist church was organized in September, i860, 
with 67 members, all from the ist Baptist church. Rev. Frank Rem- 
ington was the first pastor. They held services for a few months in 
the City Hall, when a chapel was purchased of the Christian Baptists 
on Common street, near where the carriage house connected with 




SILAS H. LORING, 

Tobacconist, 241 Essex St. ; residence 49 Farnham St. Has been in 
Lawrence 15 years. Born at West Boylston, Mass., Sept. iS, 1833. 
Received a common school education, and is a mechanic by trade. 
Married Carrie B. Hyde of Cambridgeport, in 1855 ; has three sons. 
Is a UniversaHst in his church connections. Served as an enlisted man 
in the 51st Mass. Regiment, in the nine month's service in the 
department of North Carolina, and was for two years quartermaster of 
Needham Post, No. 39, G. A. R. Was the only republican member 
of the board of aldermen in 1877, being elected to fill the vacancy 
caused by death of Alderman Howard. Mr. Loring took an active 
interest in offering to the Boston & Lowell Railroad easy access to the 
city by the new route, and also in the purchase of Den Rock for cem- 
etery purposes. Alderman from Ward VI, the present year. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 77 

Stowell & Spalding's stable now stands. This chapel was afterwards 
moved to the lot of land the church now occupies, enlarged and 
opened for worship January nth, 1865. In 1874 the house of wor- 
ship having become too small for the congregation, the old chapel 
was torn down and the present church edifice built and opened for 
worship in November of the same year. The church has had for 
pastors : Revs. Frank Remington, C. F. Tolman, Henry A. Cooke, 
L. L. Wood, George W. Gile. The present pastor, Mr. Gile, was 
settled July ist, 1S73. There have been received into the church 
since its organization more than one thousand members. Present 
number, 698. 

The Olive Baptist church, (colored) was organized in 1871. Rev- 
W. H. Garrett has been pastor since its organization. It has a mem- 
bership of 43. 

FREE BAPTISTS. 

The organization of this church took place January 17th, 1847, 
with twelve members. The first pastor was Rev. J. E. Davis, now 
deceased, who remained with the church about three years, in which 
time sixty-four members were added. Rev. J. Woodman, known as 
" Father Woodman," assumed the pastoral charge October ist, 1849, 
remaining also about three years, and receiving to the church sixty- 
six members. In December, 1852, he was succeeded by Rev. G. P. 
Ramsey, also now deceased, under whose charge sixty-seven were 
added to the church. In 1855 Mr. Ramsey resigned, and Rev. A. 

D. Williams was installed as Pastor. Up to this time the church had 
occupied a small chapel on Haverhill street, corner ot White. It 
was now decided to remove to another site and build larger. Ac- 
cordingly the lot was exchanged for the present one, and the present 
church edifice erected and dedicated in the spring of 1S57. Rev. 

E. M. Tappan was pastor from September 185 7. to his death in De- 



78 QUARTER-CENTEXXIAL 

cember, i860. During his pastorate over one hundred members 
were added. Rev. E. G. Chaddock was pastor for four years from 
June, 1866, and Rev. J. A. Lovell a year and a half from from Octo- 
ber, 1870. The present pastor is Rev. A. L. Houghton. The church 
membership is 445, of which 244 have been added during Mr. 
Houghton's pastorate. 

UNIT.ARIANS. 

The Unitarian church was organized in 1847. The first pastor 
was Rev. Henry F. Harrington, now superintendent of schools in New 
Bedford. Mr. Harrington was an active member of the school com- 
mittee here and did much to give the schools of Lawrence the excel- 
lent character they have uniformly maintained. Mr. Harrington was 
followed by Rev. J. L. Junkins, and he by Rev. J. H. Wiggin who, 
however, only remained one year. Rev. James B. Moore served 
several years and was succeeded Rev. C. A. Hayden, who in turn 
was followed by the present pastor, Rev. E. R. Sanborn. The church 
was organized under the statutes, and this year, under the present 
pastor, it has been reorganized in some particulars. There are now 
departments of public worshij) and instruction, Sunday School and 
social and literary culture, fellowship and benevolent work. The 
number of families now included in the i)arish is 132. 

METHODISTS. 

The Haverhill street Methodist Episcopal church began in 1846, 
in the private house of Charles Barnes, situated on the southwest 
corner of Broadway and Tremont street. A small number of persons 
gathered every Sabbath for almost a year under the pastoral care of 
Rev. James L. Gleason. Before the year closed they rented Concert 
Hall, Broadway. In the spring of 1847, Rev. L. D. Barrows was 
sent to be their pastor, and during his ministry of two years the 




MICHAEL P. MERRILL, 

Assessor ; office at City Hall. Residence, 231 Broadway. Has-been in 
Lawrence twenty-one years. Born at Warren, N. H., Dec. 31, 181 7. 
Received a common school education, and worked at forming until 
1855. Married Augusta M. Hoytt, May 30, 1841 ; has three children. 
Attends the Universalist church. Was selectman in 1851-2. Mod- 
erator of town meeting in 1849, 1850, 1851, 1854, 1855, 1856 and 
1857. Superintendent of Schools in 1844, 1845, 1846 and 1852. 
Commissioned captain, 1837 ; major, 1839 ; lieutenant-colonel, 1841 ; 
colonel, 1844; brigadier-general, 1845 ; discharged, 1846. Commis- 
sioned brigade drill master in 1848. Assessor in 1863-4, and from 
1870 to the present. Gen. Merrill was a member of the common 
council for i860, and was elected president for that year. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 79 

present edifice on the corner of Hampshire and Haverhill streets 
was built. It was dedicated on the 26th of March 1848, by the pas- 
tor Rev. L. D. Barrows, D. D. The following is a list of the pastors 
of the church : Rev. James L. Gleason, 1846 ; L. D. Barrows, 1847- 
48; James Pike, D. D., 1849; Moses Howe, 1850; Samuel Kelley, 
1851-52; R. S. Rust, D. D., 1853-54; Jonathan Hall, 1S50-56; 
W. A. McDonald, 1857; F. A. Hughes, 1858; J. H. McCarty, D. 
D., 1859-60; S. Holman, 1861-62; R. S. Stubbs, 1863; George 
Dearborn, 1864; D.J.Hall, 1865-66; D. C. Knowles, 1 86 7-68-69 ; 
F. Pitcher, 1870-71 ; D. D. Barrows, D. D., 1872-73-74 ; D. Steven- 
son, D. D., 1875-76-77 ; D. C. Knowles, 1878. The first board of 
trustees consisted of the following persons : John N. Marble, Alvah 
Bennett, Rufus C. Barber, Jonathan Russell, Alexander Fife, James 
K. Barker and J. W. Mathes. 

The Garden street Methodist society held its first meeting April 
24th, 1853. Rev. George P. Wilson was the superintendent of the 
Sunday School and Rev. Mr. Hanson the pastor. The church was 
organized the same year. The records of the society are deficient, 
and we are unable to present a complete record. Some of the 
pastors have been Rev. Messrs. Holman, H. H. Hartwell, C. M. 
Dinsmore, Trueman Carter, C. U. Dunning, E. P. Cushman, E. W. 
Norris, W. E. Bennett, and the present pastor, A. E. Drew. The 
church numbers 478 members, with 52 probationers. 

Tlie Trinity Methodist church on Haverhill street, was organized 
January 15th, 1873. Up about this time the members forming this 
society had been a part of the Free Congregational society, worship- 
ping first on Common street and then on Essex street, that society 
having grown out of a union mission Sunday School. Dater in 1872 
the society divided, one part going to form the Tower Hill Union 
Evangelical church. The remaining twenty-five members were or- 
ganized by Rev. L. D. Barrows into a Methodist church. They were 
for some time under the pastoral care of Mr. Barrows, he being then 



80 QUARTER-CEXTEXNIAL 

the pastor of the Haverliill Street Methodist Church. March 21st, 
they completed their organization by the appointment of trustees and 
stewards. The present edifice on Haverhill street, west of Broad- 
way was built about four years ago. The present pastor, Rev. D. C 
Smith, has been with the church about one year. 

Parker Street M. E. church, South Side, was organized in 1873. 
In the year 1869 Rev. D. C. Knowles, of the Haverhill street church 
conceived the idea of forming a class which at some future time 
should form the nucleus of a church. Five persons formed the class 
which met weekly in the Tiger Engine House, on Broadway. The 
class had a sickly existence for some time, but at length rallied and 
the members resolved to erect a small structure and organize a 
church. A society was duly organized September i6th, 1870. A lot 
of land was purchased on Blanchard street, and the building erected. 
At this time the society had only eight members. From week to 
week the congregation gathered in this chapel and were for two years 
under the spiritual leadership of Rev. Mr. Tilton, of Derry, Rev. Mr. 
Keys of Woburn, Rev. A. D. Sargent of Maiden, and another year 
by Rev. W. J. Parkinson of Boston. In 1873 the present church 
edifice was built at a cost of $15,000, since which the church has 
been supplied by the conference. Rev. Garrett Beekman, 2 years, 
C. L. McCurdy i year, A. J. Hall i year, and T. J. Abbott i year, 
dying after a short illness near the close of the year. The present 
pastor is Rev. W. A. Braman. The church numbers 100 members, 
with 21 on probation. Sunday School 132 scholars, 18 teachers. 

UNIVERSALISTS. 

On the 25th of October, 1848, Geo. Littlefield, Sullivan Symonds, 
Wm. D. JopKn, Heaton Bailey and others issued a manifesto ad- 
dressed to George A. Waldo, Justice of the Peace, to organize a 
church of the Universalist faith. The meeting convened and the 




ALBERT V. BUGREE, 

City Treasurer. Office at City Hall ; residence, 25 Orchard Street. 
Born at Chelsea, Vt. in 1834. Obtained a limited education, being 
obliged to earn his own livelihood after he was eleven years of age. 
Became a citizen of Lawrence in 1852, and was fifteen years in the 
auction and commission business. Following that he was for eight 
years in the insurance, auction and real estate business. Elected city 
treasurer in 1875, ^•'om which time to the i)resent he has continued 
to fill the office. Mr. Bugbee attends the Universalist church. Mar- 
ried Emily S. Johnson of Lowell in 1851, and has two children. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 8 1 

church was organized on November 15th of the same year. Fairfield 
White, Heaton Bailey, Frederick Tyler, Daniel O. Emerson and 
Ethel O. Nutters were elected standing committee. The present 
church edifice was dedicated June 30th, 1853. The first pastor was 
Rev. Geo. H. Clark, from 1847 to 1851 ; Rev. Henry Jewell, 185 1- 
52 ; Rev. J. R. Johnson, 1852 to 1855 ; Rev, J. J. Brayton, 1555 ^o 
1858; Rev. M. J. Steere, 1858 to i860; Rev. G. S. Weaver, 1861 
to 1873 ; Rev. Geo. W. Perry, 1873 to 1877 ; and succeeded by 
Rev. A. E. White, the present pastor. 

PRESBYTERIANS. 

In the month of April, 1854, a few Presbyterians feeling that their 
wants were not fully met in the Congregational churches, got together 
at a private residence and held a prayer-meeting, William Adams 
being chosen to visit the people and ascertain how many were de- 
sirous of forming a church. June 30th, following. Rev. A. McWilliams, 
a licentiate from the Presbytery of Boston, came here and organized 
a church with 47 members. For two years services were held in the 
Union School house on Jackson street. In 1856 the church was 
built on Oak street, and preaching continued a little more than a 
year when Mr. McWilliams left, the hard times of 1857 and the stop- 
page of the Bay State Mills tending to greatly weaken the congrega- 
tion. In 1859 Rev. James Dinsmore was installed and remained 
until 1862. Meetings were then suspended and the building went 
into the hands of the Presbytery, it subsequently being let to the city 
for a school house. In 1867 the worshippers of this faith having 
largely increased, the church was re-dedicated and Rev. John Hogg 
called to the pastorate, who remained eight years. Early during his 
labors the new church on Concord street was built. The pastor dur- 
ing the year 1877 ^^'^s Rev. John A. Burns, who resigned on account 
of ill health, and at present the church is without a settled pastor, 
though a call has been extended to Rev. Mr. McAegal, of Ohio. 



82 



QUARIEK-CENTENXIAL HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 



For several years the Adventists have sustained a regular church 
but have had a settled pastor but a small share of the time. They at 
first had a chapel on Common street, but subsequently removed to 
Bradford street where religious services are now held. 



CATHOLICS. 



The early comers to Lawrence included a large Catholic element, 
and consequently the clergy of that order were active in looking after 
their interests. In December, 1848, Rev. James O'Donnell erected 
old St. Mary's church. He established the parochial schools and 




REV. JAMES o'dONNELL. 

brought the Sisters here. He began his ser\-ices on the corner of 
Newbury and Common streets. He labored zealously and effectual- 
ly, and died April 17th, 1861. He was succeeded by Rev. Ambrose 





bT. MARY'S XEW CHURCH. 



84 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL 

A. Mullen, who remained from June, 1861, till August, 1S66, when 
he left to take the presidency of Villanova College. He was fol- 
lowed by Rev. L. M. Edge, who erected the new Catholic church, 
but died before it was completed. Then came Rev. Thomas Gal- 
berry, now bishop of the diocese of Hartford, Conn. Rev. John P. 
Gilmore succeeded Father Galberry, July 2d, 1872. Father Gilmore 
was born in Philadelphia, October 5th, 1844. The Church of the 
Immaculate Conception was begun by Father French, who came 
here from Ireland. He rebuilt the old wooden church of the same 
name. He was followed by Father Taaffe, who erected the present 
buildings of the Immaculate Conception, the Orphan .Asylum, and 
organized the Catholic Friends' Society. He died March 29th, 1868, 
and was followed by Father Michael Dougherty, temporarily, who 
stayed till the appointment of Rev. William Orr in i860. Father Orr 
was succeeded by Rev. J. P. Gilmore in the care of the church, with 
Rev. D. D. Regan as rector. In July, 1873, the St. Laurence church 
was opened. Father Gilmore erected the parochial residence on 
Haverhill slreet, and opened it October 5th, 1873. It cost $30,000, 
and Father Gilmore may well congratulate himself that this hand- 
some structure is paid for. The Catholic clergy of Lawrence, north 
of the river, of which Father (iilmore is the head, are Revs. M. M. 
O'Farrell, J. H. Devers, J. A. Marsden, and P. C. McGovern, 
all members of the order of St. .Augustine. There are 13,000 
Catholic communicants in Lawrence, and an average attendance 
in the parochial schools of 1000 pupils, 400 boys and 600 girls. 
Rev. Father Devers has lately come to Lawrence and has been 
assigned to the Immaculate Conception church. St. Patrick's 
church in South Lawrence, was begun in 1869, by Father Orr, and 
was dedicated on the following St. Patrick's Day by Very Rev. Father 
Lyndon, the lately deceased Vicar-General of the diocese. Father 
Orr was succeeded by Rev. James Murphy, the present i)astor. He 
is assisted by Rev. James Sheedy. 




JAMES ERVING SHEPARD, 



City Clerk ; ofifice at City Hall. Residence, 26 Summer Street. Has 
been in Lawrence ten years. Was born in Union, Me., Jan. 9, 1835 ; 
received a common school education. Married Abbie Bennett Cooper, 
April 4, 1864 ; has no children. Attends the Second Baptist church, 
and is a democrat in politics. Mr. Shepard worked on a farm and at 
the cooper's trade in his earlier days, and also learned the Daguerrian's 
art. In 1 86 1 he enlisted as a private in Co. D., 9th Maine Volunteers. 
Receiving the intermediate promotions he was on July 6th, 1863 made 
Regimental Adjutant ; served on staff duty till the close of the war. 
Came to Lawrence in 1868. Was city marshal in 1870. Employed 
as a newspaper writer for three years. Clerk of the Water Board for 
1874, 1875 and 1876. City Clerk for 1877, and re-elected in 1878. 



HISTORY OP' LAWRENCE, MASS. 85 

The French Catholics of Lawrence worship in their brick church 
on Haverhill street, Rev. O. Boucher, pastor. The first movement 
among the French Catholics here was in December, 1871, when 
bishop (now archbishop) Williams, asked Father Gearin of Lowell, 
to come here and see what could be done. Father Gearin was 
superior of his order. He was assisted by Father Beaudin. They 
began worship in Essex Hall. In March, 1872, Father Beaudin left 
and Father Lecompte took charge till October ist, 1872, when Father 
Michaud followed him. Father Gearin had bought the chapel on 
Lowell street early in March, 1872. In Father Michaud's time the 
society attempted to build their present church edifice, but became 
considerably involved, and he left in Septembr, 1874. There was no 
regular pastor till March, 1875, when the present pastor came. The 
church has about 1300 communicants. 

At present there are 28 churches in the city. The two not enum- 
erated above are the Swedenborgian and German Protestant, both 
without a house of worship and with but few adherents. 



vrir. 

THE CORPORATIONS. 



To compile a history of Lawrence without a detailed description 
of the corporations would be like the play of Hamlet with Hamlet 
left out. These are the backbone of the city. They give directly 
employment to about one third of the population and are the life 
blood of a goodly majority of the remaining two thirds, as nearly 
all the \vealth and the ready cash in circulation comes through the 
monthly pay of the operatives of these manufactories. When pay- 
day arrives, each month on the large corporations 'tis then the grocer, 
the butcher, the baker, — in fact every retail dealer of merchandise 
expects to count in the dollars for goods delivered in the interim 
since last pay-day. 

The inception, growth and development of the corporations lining 
the banks of the river is almost marvelous — outrivalling even the 
"magic growth" of western cities. It is now thirty-two years since 
the north canal was completed and work commenced in the con- 
struction of the Bay State, now Washington Mills and the Atlantic 
Mills. From that beginning has sprung up one of the busiest cities 
in the world, and a population of 40,000 find home and comforts 
from the manufacturing industries. The corporations as a rule have 
been very successful. The financial depression of 1857 caused a 
suspension in nearly all the mills for a short time ; then occurred the 
failure of the Washington Mills and their reorganization. In i860 

86 




BYRON TRUELL, 



Dry Goods and Carpet House, 249 Essex St. Residence, 355 Hav- 
erhill St. Came to this city in February, 1854, and became merchant's 
clerk in the store of A. W, Stearns. In 1858, he entered business 
under the firm name of Bailey & Truell. This partnership was dissolved 
in 1863, and he has since continued business under the name of Byron 
Truell & Co., at the present stand. Born at St. Johnsbury, Vt., Nov., 
1834. Married in 1859, and has two children. Attends the Haver- 
hill Street M. E. Church. Mr. Truell was State senator in 1877 and 
1878, and was in the House in 1875 and 1876. Was in the common 
council in 1875. Is at present justice of the peace and a director of 
the Pacific National Bank. 



QUARTER-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 87 

occurred the terrible Pemberton Mills calamity, when the mill fell, 
burying 700 operatives in the ruins. When the War of the Rebellion 
broke out in 1S61 the great Pacific had fairly regained its feet, and 
the mills generally were ready for the extensive business that came to 
their doors. 

The managers took an opposite course from that taken by the 
Lowell manufacturers, for whatever may have been their opinion as 
to the duration and extent of the war, they believed it policy to work 
u\) all the cotton they had, and procure as much as they could in the 
early days of the strife, and they eagerly sought the raw article placed 
on the market by the Lowell managers. Subsequent events proved 
their course to have bean wise. During the business depression of 
the past few years the Lawrence mills and operatives have probably 
suffered less than those of any other large city. To-day the mills 
are running to nearly their full capacity, and, with the exception of a 
few months' stoppage of the Atlantic Mills, during their reorganiza- 
tion, the same is true of ail these months of hard times. True, the 
wages of the operatives have been reduced, and in some cases to a 
large extent ; but work has been provided the people, and while those 
of other manufacturing centres have suffered for food and clothing, 
here they have been deprived of but few comforts. Unlike the mills 
of Fall River, the management of all the Lawrence mills is centred in 
Boston, and the leading officials are unknown to the people. The 
only irregularity of any magnitude ever occurring in the Lawrence 
mills was the recent defalcation of George R. Waterman, head clerk 
of the local management of the Pacific Mills, who, in a systematic 
manner for 55 months, stole an amount averaging $2000 per month, 
aggregating $110,000. For this skillfully planned theft he is now 
serving a twelve years' sentence in the State Prison at Concord. 
Since their incorporation there have been serious reverses, and 
reorganizations of the Pacific, Atlantic, Washington and Pemberton 
Mills. 



88 QUARTER-CEXTENXIAI. 

The present aggregated statistics of tlie seven leading manufac- 
tories are as follows : 

Capital stock $7,350,000 

Number of spindles 338,100 

Number of looms 9,05 7 

Males employed 4,200 

P'emales employed 6,000 

Yards produced per week 2,301,654 

The average wages earned by men and boys are $1.30 per day; 
by women and girls, 90 cents per day. 

To show the comparative value of the manufacturing corporations 
and the share of the burden they carry in the way of aid towards 
municipal development, the amount of taxes levied by the city asses- 
sors for the current year is here given. The rate of taxation is $15 
per thousand dollars' valuation. 

Atlantic Cotton Mills ^19,855 00 

Arlington Mills 5,250 00 

Archibald Wheel Co 480 00 

Essex Company ■ ' 1 0,875 °o 

Everett Mills 10,200 00 

Lawrence Duck Co 3»3 75 00 

Lawrence Flyer and Spindle Co 624 00 

Lawrence Gas Co 5^625 00 

Lawrence Lumber Co 615 00 

Lawrence Woolen Co 2,1 75 00 

Pemberton Co 8, 700 00 

Pacific Mills |... 57,750 00 

Russell Pai)er Co 2,400 00 

^Vashington Mills 20.055 00 

Wright Manufacturing Co 705 00 



LEVI EMERY, 

Farmer, owning a farm of sixty acres overlooking the city from the 
west. Born in Salem, N. H., August, 1818 ; worked on a farm in 
early life ; afterwards spent six years at shoe manufacturing in Maiden. 
Was for several years in the West, near Chicago, acting during the time 
as agent for the Tremont Land Co., and instituting many improve- 
ments in drainage and agriculture in that section. Came to Lawrence 
in 1864 and purchased the estate upon which he now resides. Mr. 
Emery is married and has one child. Attends the Eliot Congrega- 
tional church. Was in the common council in 1867, 1868, 1872, 
1875 ^"cl 1876, and a member of the legislatures of 1877-8. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 89 

' WASHINGTON MILLS. 

The Washington Mills were the first built in the town of " Merri- 
mack," as Lawrence was then known. The mills were built in 1846, 
and put in operation the following year, under the nanie of the Bay 
State Mills. There are three large brick buildings, each like the other, 
comprising, with the roof or attic, nine stories. The departments of 
manufacture are woolen, worsted and cotton goods. In the financial 
crash of 1857, the mills were shut down, and, in 1859, started under 
a reorganization, the corporate name being Washington Mills. The 
famous Bay State shawls, and blue flannel coatings, were originated 
by these mills, the former in 1848, the latter in 1859 ; opera flannels 
were also first introduced in this country by these mills. The works 
are the most extensive in the manufacture of a general range of 
woolen goods of any in this or any other country. In 1868 was com- 
menced the manufacture of worsted coatings, through the influence 
of the managing director, Hon. E. R. Mudge, who was United States 
Commissioner at the Paris Exposition in 1867, and there became 
convinced of the feasibility of such manufacture in this country. 
From the beginning the corporation has conducted operations on an 
extended scale, and at the present time its various fabrics not only 
stand without equal in this country, but fully equal similar produc- 
tions in Europe. Throughout the recent financial stress the greater 
portion of the machinery has been kept running, though the depres- 
sion in the wool market has had a serious effect upon the profits. 
The first president was Mr. E. A. Bourne, who retired in 1862, when 
Joseph S. Fay succeeded him, remaining but two years ; John A. 
Blanchard followed, and in 1866, George M. Minot assumed the posi- 
tion, remaining till 1872, when the present incumbent, P. T. Homer, 
accepted the office. Joseph S. Fay was treasurer, resigning in 1862, 
followed by Joshua Stetson, who retired in 1868, on account of ill 
health. The position remained vacant for a year, when the present 



90 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL 

treasurer, Henry F. Coe, was elected. The board of directors com- 
prises P. T. Homer, E. R. Mudge, Henry Saltonstall, C. U. Cotting, 
C. W. Freeland, Robert Couch and J. A. Blanchard, Jr. Th^ statis- 
tics show that th^re are one cotton, one worsted, and five woolen 
mills, with 19,000 cotton spindles, 65 sets cards, 320 broad looms ; 
worsted department, 8640 spindles, 885 looms ; the weekly product 
is 100,000 yards cottons, 120,000 yards dress goods, 20,000 yards 
worsteds, 40,000 yards woolens and 1000 shawls ; pounds cotton con- 
sumed, 728,000 ; clean woolen and worsted stock, 30,000 ; tons coal 
per year, 10,000 ; gallons oil per year, 24,000 ; pounds starch, 23,500 ; 
motive power, 7 water wheels of 1025 horse power, and two engines 
of 1,000 horse power. The capital stock of the mill is $1,650,000. 
Females employed, 1268; males, 1135. 

Peter T. Homer, President ; Henry F. Coe, Treasurer ; E. R. 
Mudge, Henry Saltonstall, Robert Couch, John Saltonstall among 
the directors. Robert Scott, Agent ; A. P. Clark, Paymaster ; G. M. 
Stoddard, Superintendent Worsted Department ; James B. Siner, Me- 
chanical Superintendent ; Frank Atkins, Superintendent of Cotton 
and Woolen Department. 

Assess. 

Real estate, land and water ])ower, buildings, ma- 
chinery, $1,373,634 S3 

Cash and debts receivable 35 1,332 22 

Manufactures, material and stock in process 1,680,605 19 

Total $3,405,572 24 

Liabilities. 

Capital stock $1 ,650,000 00 

Debts, including dividend declared payable Jan. i . . . . 1,454,538 75 

Reserves 1 38,935 60 

Balance profit and loss 162,097 89 

Total $3,405,072 24 



GRANVILLE M. STODDARD, 

Superintendent of the Washington Mills. Residence, 28 Washington 
Corporation. Born at Dover, Me., in 1839, and removed with his 
father's family to this city in 1847. Entered upon the realities of life 
by learning the apothecary's business with Dr. Smith, formerly on 
Merchants' Row. He also worked at the same business for some 
years in Boston. Mr. Stoddard has been in the employ of the Wash- 
ington Mills Corporation for the past twenty years ; two years in the 
office, then in the embossing room, and afterwards in the worsted 
department. He has been superintendent the past six years. Mar- 
ried Laura J. Stockman in 1868; has two children. Attends the 
Unitarian Church. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 9 1 

ATLANTIC MILLS. 

The Atlantic Mills were the second in operation in Lawrence, the 
building of which began in 1846, but a few months after the Bay 
State Mills. The original capital was $1,800,000, and the present 
capital is $1,000,000. Originally it was intended to erect four large 
mills, each with a capacity of 12,500 spindles and 1466 looms, and 
to occupy all the space between the Pacific and Bay State Mills : the 
plan was modified, and but two mills were erected, running 25,000 
spindles and 733 looms. Mills commenced operation in 1849. In 
1852 a large centre mill was built, connecting the two wings, mak- 
ing a mammoth structure. These mills have had failures and suc- 
cesses, and in 1876 approached a crisis, which resulted in a general 
reorganization, and of so recent a date as to be familiar to the reader of 
to-day. In brief, the treasurer, William Gray of Boston, a very extensive 
owner, and, also, the selling agent of the mills, refused to longer 
indorse the corporation paper. During that year the stock went 
down to $18 per share. In July it was decided to reorganize, and 
the capital of $1,000,000 was scaled down to $300,000, and new 
created sufficient to make a capital of $1,000,000. An old stock- 
holder was privileged to exchange five of the old shares for one of 
the new, and to take a proportional part of the new stock. 

The mills remained idle from June to September, during which 
time there was much grumbling by the stockholders, many of whom 
failed to relish the fact that Mr. Gray, as treasurer and selUng agent, 
was drawing a princely salary and handsome profits. A strong effort 
was made to remove the local agent, Mr. J. P. Batdes, but without 
success. Mr. Gray resigned in July, and the mills renewed work in 
September, 1876, under the treasurership of Henry Saltonstall, who 
was also treasurer of the Chicopee Manufacturing company. Wm. 
Gray & Son retired from the selling agency, and the goods now pass 
through the house of E. R. Mudge, Sawyer & Co. At the annual 



g2 QUARTER-CENTENXIAL 

meeting in 1877 William Gray, Jr., was elected treasurer. Since the 
reorganization the mills have prospered fairly, and the stock has 
attained a handsome figure above par. The new Boston and Lowell 
railroad has cut through the mill yard and the corporation boarding 
houses, but it is believed by many that the entrance of this road will 
prove advantageous rather than detrimental to its interests. The 
products of the mills are white goods exclusively — shirtings and 
sheetings, which are of very excellent quality. There are three mills, 
87,888 spindles, 1804 looms, 1040 employes ; 17,000 bales of cotton 
are used, and 23,200,000 yards of cloth made annually ; oil, 6000 
gallons ; coal, 3000 tons ; motive power, one steam engine of 500 
horse power, and four turbine water wheels. 

Charles H. Dalton, President ; Wm. Gray, Jr., Treasurer ; Charles 
H. Dalton, William Gray, Jr., and Henry Saltonstall among the 
Directors. J. P. Battles, agent ; J. C. Bowker, paymaster. 

Assets. 
Real estate, land and water power, buildings, machinery, $950,992 41 

Cash and debts receivable 1 50,349 41 

Manufactures, material and stock in process- 372,924 09 

Miscellaneous 21,72206 

Total $1,495,987 97 

Liabilities. 

Capital stock ~ $994,844 45 

Debts • 489,383 82 

Balance profit and loss . 7,872 80 

Reserve unpaid bills 3,886 90 

Total $1,495,987 97 

P.ACIFIC MILLS. 

The Pacific Mills are the most extensive works of the kind in the 
world. Within the yards used for manufacturing purposes are twelve 









«4 



ALBERT R. FIELD, 



Superintendent of Pacific Mills ; residence, 4 Concord St. Has been 
in Lawrence since 1871. Born in Cranston, R. L, in the year 1821. 
Received a common school education. Commenced work in the mill 
at an early age. In 1849 ^'^^ commenced running a small mill in Scit- 
uate, R. I., under the firm name of Ralph eK: Field. In i860 received 
the appointment of agent of the Anthony Mills, Coventry, R. I. In 
1864 removed to Harrisville, and took charge of the Harris Manuf'g 
Co., purchasing a half interest in the mills. In 1867 was temporarily 
employed starting up the Duval Mills, Fall River. Moved the same 
year to Central Falls, R. I., taking the agency of N. W. Sprague's new 
mill for the manufacture of fine lawn goods. Resigned to accept 
present position in 1871. Married Abby C. Johnson in i860; has 
two children. Was a member of the Board of Aldermen in 1877, 
and is a member of the present Water Board. 



HISTORY OF L.\WRENCE, MASS. 93 

mills and buildings, affording 41 acres of flooring. There are 5360 
people are employed, and it may be said that more than one third of 
the population of Lawrence are directly dependent upon these mills 
for their daily bread. The Pacific was incorporated in 1852, with a 
capital of ^2,000,000, and, considering the gloomy aspect at its start, 
with a probable failure staring its stockholders in the face during the 
first few years, its career of success has been wonderful. The par 
value of the stock is $1000, and within 20 years its market value has 
gone from as low as $75 up to over $2000 a share, and, under the 
present depressed times is selling in the vicinity of $1850. The 
construction of the works cost more than the $2,000,000 of original 
capital ; but the corporation was saved from a failure by the munifi- 
cence of its president, the Hon. Abbott Lawrence, who, from his 
private fortune, contributed several hundred thousands of dollars, 
which tided the corporation over the emergency. Until " hard times " 
came, in 1857, some money was made, but the enterprise was largely 
sustained by borrowing ; in that year the Pacific was forced to ask 
an extension of credit, which was granted by every creditor. Dur- 
ing that year the stock sank as low as $75 ; and here it may be said 
that several Lawrence gentlemen of present wealth may date the be- 
ginning of their road to fortune from the time when they had means 
and courage to buy a few shares of Pacific stock. In 1858, the 
stockholders were called upon to increase the capital to $2,500,000. 
Matters proceeded fairly until 1859, when the corporation lost money, 
but, since that time, an unprecedented success has attended the run- 
ning of these vast mills, its stock has doubled its par value in the 
market, and very handsome dividends are declared. Li 1S60 the 
annual product was 11,000,000 yards of dress goods; in 1870 the 
product reached 45,000,000 yards, and since then the product, with 
the cloths purchased of other mills and printed here, has reached 
65,000,000 — sufficient to put a bandage three-quarters of a yard wide 
once and a half around the world. For many years the local agent 



94 QUARTER-CENTENXIAL 

was Mr. Chapin, assisted by A. M. Wade, as superintendent ; but 
several years ago a change was effected, and Mr. John Fallon, for- 
merly in charge of the printing department, was made acting agent, 
and Mr. A. R. Field, assistant. Apparently the mills were never in a 
more thriving condition. The grand success of the corporation is, 
without doulx, to be attributed to the admirable management of Hon. 
J. Wiley Edmands, lately deceased, allied with the mercantile saga- 
city of Mr. James L. Little, as the selling agent, and whose creative 
taste has been imparted to all the fabrics of these mills. The com- 
pany has a world-wide reputation for its attention to the moral, social 
and sanitary condition of its employes, which is shown from its sup- 
port of a vast library and reading room, its benefits to the sick and 
injured, its cleanliness in its boarding houses, and in aiding employes 
to build for themselves comfortable homes. 

It is within bounds to state that more than forty per cent, of the 
heads of families own their homes, the company in many instances 
having assisted their operatives by loaning them money at 6 per 
cent, wherewith to build houses. To encourage economy among the 
laborers a savings bank was established years ago whereby the females 
and minors can, if they choose, deposit a part of their earnings 
each month, which is put at interest at time of deposit. For pru- 
dential reasons the operations of this method of receiving deposits 
has been considerably curtailed of late, but to some extent it is still 
in force. 

The Pacific Mills Relief Society is an institution of itself worthy of 
a place in history. The society as its name indicates, was formed for 
the purpose of extending aid to the sick and to those who meet with 
accident while there employed. The funds of the society are created 
as follows : The corporation pays $2.50 weekly, and each person in 
the employ of the corporation if they receive more than three dollars 
per week for wages, two cents per week. If less than three dollars 
wages, one cent per week. 




JOSIAH CLINTON WHITE, 



Master Mechanic at the Pacific Print Works. Resides at 31 Pacific 
Corporation. Has been in Lawrence thirty-one years. Was born in 
Brattleboro, Vt„ July 9, 1828. Learned the carpenter's trade of his 
father in Brattleboro. Went to Nashua, N. H. in April, 1846, and 
worked at his trade until September of that year, when he came to the 
new city, "Andover Bridge." which has since been his home. Was 
married Jan. i, 1855 to Edna A. Underwood of Swanzey, N. H. ; has 
two daughters. He is a member of the Eliot Congregational church. 
Captain White enlisted in Co. G, 30th Mass. Reg't, Oct. 1861. Was 
wounded while on provost duty at New Orleans, La., May 18, 1862. 
May 18, 1863, commissioned cai)tain by the President of the United 
States. Was wounded at the battle of Hovey Hill, Nov. 30th, 1864. 
Received an honorable discharge from the army May 29th, 1866. 
Was a member of the common council for 1877 ; re-elected for 1878. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 95 

The officers of this society are a President, Treasurer, and Secre- 
tary, with twenty-five managers, chosen annually the first week in 
April, from the members. These, together, compose a Board of 
Government ; decide points of dispute, and manage the internal 
affairs of the Society. The weekly allowance to sick members is as 
follows : 

To those who contribute two cents a week $2.00 

To those who contribute one cent a week 1.25 

The allowance to sick members may continue ten weeks ; it shall 
then be reduced one-fourth, and may be extended twenty weeks 
longer, should sickness continue. At the end of thirty weeks the 
allowance shall cease entirely, and shall not be renewed within twelve 
months. 

For the past year the amount paid into this fund is over $8000, 
over five thousand of which has been spent in the manner above 
indicated. One thousand francs were awarded to the Pacific Mills at 
the Paris Exposition, for the admirable manner in which this relief 
system was conducted. 

The corporation boarding houses are a model of neatness and 
order. The bill of fare from every standpoint is better than the 
average well-to-do families; the price charged is only $2.25 a week 
for females and a dollar more for males. Vital statistics show that 
the rate per cent, of sickness and mortality in the Pacific Mills is less 
than any other community of like number in the known world. 

One glances at the mill statistics with wonderment. Number of 
cotton spindles, 135,000; worsted spindles, 25,000; looms, 4,500; 
pounds of cotton used per week, 116,000; pounds of wool, 65,000; 
yards of cloth printed or dyed each week, over 1,260,000; tons of 
coal per year, 23,000 ; steam boilers of 3000-horse power, 50 ; steam 
engines of 1200-horse power, 37 ; turbine water wheels, 2000-horse 
power, II ; gas burners number 5000, and the cost of gas for the six 
months used is $30,000 ; monthly pay-roll, $150,000, the women and 



g6 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL 

girls averaging daily 98 cents, and men and boys, Si. 40 ; women and 
girls employed, 3,534 ; men and boys 1,766 ; total number employes, 
5,300; number of houses for work people, 275. The annual cost 
of raw material for dyeing is over $400,000. The wool consumed 
each week requires the fleeces of 10,000 sheep. The products of 
the mills are lawns, percales, and a general variety of dress goods. 

The local officers are : John Fallon, agent ; A. R. Field, superin- 
tendent ; John R. Rollins, paymaster ; Samuel Barlow, superintendent 
of print works ; Joseph Walworth, superintendent of worsted depart- 
ment. Abbott Lawrence, president ; James L. Little, treasurer ; J. 
Huntington Wolcott, Augustus Lowell, Benjamin E. Bates, John M. 
Little, Arthur T. Lyman, directors. 

Assefs. 

Real estate, water power and machinery $1,450,000 00 

Other assets 1,191,754 12 

Manufactures, material, etc 3,337,612 08 

Miscellaneous 20,000 00 

Total $5,999,366 20 

Liabilities. 

Capital stock $2,500,000 00 

I^^^l^ts 2,078,533 94 

Reserves 1,420,812 26 

Total $5,999,366 20 

PEMBERTON MILLS. 

The Pemberton Mills were incorporated in 1S52 by an organiza- 
tion of which J. A. Lowell was the principal owner and the moving 
spirit. J. Pickering Plummer was the President, and John E. Chase 
local agent. In 1854 the corporation failed, and was sold at auction 
to David Nevins, of Methuen, and George Howe, of Boston, for 




MICHAEL RINN, 



Bookseller and Stationer, 143 Essex St. ; residence, 40 Oak St. Has 
been in Lawrence twenty-eight years. Born in Ireland in 1847, he 
came to Lawrence when three years of age and was educated in the 
public schools of the city. Commenced work in the mill at an early 
age and was severely injured at the fall of the Pemberton Mill, Janu- 
ary loth, i860. Subsequently he worked in the Washington Mills 
packing room for seven years, after which he went to learn wool-sorting, 
which he left to enter his present business. Mr. Rinn is not married ; 
is a Roman Cathohc, attending St. Laurence church, and in politics 
is a democrat. Was elected to the common council from Ward II in 
1877 ; represented the Twentieth District in the legislature in 18 78. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 97 

$300,000, or about one half its actual value. The Legislature of 
1857-58 granted an act of incorporation, and the " Pemberton Man- 
ufacturing Company" began operations at once with Mr. Howe as 
treasurer and Mr. Chase as agent. January loth, i860, occurred the 
terrible catastrophe of the falling and burning of the mill, accompa- 
nied with a fearful loss of life. The ruins were sold at auction and 
bought by Mr. Nevins, who at once reorganized the "Pemberton 
Company," taking himself more than half of the capital stock of 
$450,000, the other large owners being George Blackburn and Eben 
Sutton. The new mill was built on the site of the old one, and 
started in 1861 with Henry S. Shaw as treasurer, and Mr. Chase as 
agent. In June of the same year Mr. Chase resigned, and Fred E. 
Clarke was appointed agent. The officers and management of the mill, 
since it was rebuilt and reorganized, have not changed. Since Mr. 
Nevins' first purchase, in 1857, he has been the managing director. 
He also owns a cotton mill in Methuen, of which Mr. Clarke is also 
agent. The Pemberton is admirably managed. Its product is mainly 
confined to cottonades, cotton flannels, ticking cottons, fancy cassi- 
meres, repellents, wool sackings and carriage linings. The statistics 
of the corporation are as follows: capital stock, $450,000; number 
of mills two ; cotton spindles, 28,060 ; sets woolen machinery, 14 ; 
looms, 669; females employed, 650; males employed, 225; yards 
made per week, 120,000 ; pounds cotton consumed per week, 40,000 ; 
pounds clean wool consumed per week, 6000 ; tons of coal per an- 
num, 2200; gallons of oil, 5600; pounds starch, 25,000; water 
wheels, 3 ; each 200 horse-power ; steam double engines, 300 horse- 
power. 

David Nevins, President ; H. S. Shaw, Treasurer ; David Nevins, 
Jr., among the Directors. 

Assets. 
Real estate, land and water power, buildings and ma- 
chinery $462,081 45 



98 QUARTER- CEXTEXNIAL 

Other assets 1 7 7, 764 30 

Manufactures, material and stock in process 521,205 69 

Total 31,161,051 44 

Liabilities. 

Capital stock $450,000 00 

Debts 229,793 45 

Balance profit and loss reserve for depreciation, 481,254 99 

Total $ 1 , 1 6 1 ,05 1 44 

LAWRENCE DUCK COMPANY. 

The Lawrence Duck Company was incorporated in 1853, the 
original stockholders being three Boston men, Albert Fearing, who 
was president, now dead, Isaac Thatcher, who has been treasurer 
from its organization to the present time, and David Whiton, who 
was clerk until four years ago. Mr. Fearing's stock was distributed 
to his heirs and a large portion to literary institutions. The capital 
of the corporation is $300,000, and the product comprises cotton 
duck for sails and tents, mining duck, used for water courses in the 
mines, cotton dryer felting for paper mills, and sail twine. Five years 
ago the mill was enlarged to double its capacity, but the dullness of 
shipping has kept the product of the mill within its old limits, and 
now but 150 hands are employed. The corporation has a large 
trade in mining duck with California and Australia, and prides itself 
upon the quality of its sail cloth, which was selected in preference to 
others for Astor's yacht. The burden of management has from the 
beginning been upon the treasurer, Mr. Thatcher, and the local agent, 
Mr. Isaac Hayden, both of whom have held their positions for 25 
years. Nearly all the machinery used was designed and built under 
the direction of Mr. Hayden. Aaron Hobert, Jr., of Boston, is the 
president, and Francis G. Davis of Boston, selling agent. 

Aaron Hobart, Jr., President ; Isaac Thatcher, Treasurer. 




LURANDUS BEACH, Jr. 



Was born in Dover, N. H., Nov. 4, 1832. At the early age of sixteen, 
Mar. 28,1848, he entered into partnership with his father in Lawrence, 
Mass., in the manufacture of Soaps. For some two years after enter- 
ing business he continued at school, at the same time conducting the 
business, his father meanwhile remaining in Dover. The partnership 
was continued for 28 years, until 1876, when L. Beach retired, 
since he has conducted the business alone in Lawrence and Haver- 
hill Mass., under the name of Beach Soap Co., Lawrence and L. 
Beach, Jr., Haverhill. About i860 he purchased the soap factory at 
Dover, N. H., which has been conducted under the firm name of L. 
Beach, Jr., & Co. The soap made under his supervision has gained 
a world-wide reputation for excellence. Was elected the Lawrence 
Common Council for 1863, and alderman for the year 1876, Married 
Miss Persis A. Miller, of Middletown, Conn., 1855, has one child, and 
is a member of the Haverhill Street M. E. CMiurch. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 99 

Assets. 

Real estate $136,474 46 

Land and water power 28,288 08 

Machinery 149,386 87 

Other assets 747 35 

Cash and debts receivable . 90,983 2 7 

Manufactures and material 81,216 82 

Profit and loss 27,656 06 

Total $514,749 91 

Liabilities. 

Capital stock $300,000 00 

Debts 2 1 4, 749 9 1 

Total $514,749 91 

EVERETT MILLS. 

The Everett Mills were incorporated in i860, and commenced 
operations the same year in the large stone machine shop formerly 
owned by the Essex Company, the corporation purchasing the build- 
ings and eighteen acres of land. The old buildings were extensively 
altered and repaired, and new structures erected, and first-class ma- 
chinery placed therein, suitable for the manufacture of a general 
variety of colored cotton goods ; later, machinery was secured for 
the manufacture of worsted fabrics. The machinery was first put in 
operation January ist, 1S61. The original capital was $500,000, but 
six months later it was increased to $700,000, and in December, 
1862, another $100,000 was added. Extensive dye-houses and a 
bleachery are attached to the mills. Tiie products are cottonades, 
ticks, denims, cheviot shirtings, ginghams, duck, and an extensive 
variety of dress goods of very excellent quality. At the Centen- 



I OO QUARTER-CENTENNIAL 

nial Exhibition the mills were awarded a prize, and "commended 
for excellence in subdued coloring, smoothness of fabrics, general 
good taste in design of cheviot shirtings. Cottonades of very good 
quality." The statistics of the mills show 33,280 spindles, 841 looms, 
750 employes, and an annual production of 8,000,000 yards of goods, 
consuming 2,500,000 pounds of cotton. Three thousand tons of 
coal, 4000 gallons of oil and 45,000 pounds of starch are used an- 
nually, and the motive power is furnished by three turbine water 
wheels. The principal incorporators of the mills were James Dana, 
Samuel Batchelder, and Chas. W. Cartwright. The first treasurer was 
Samuel Batchelder of Cambridge, who held the position until 1870, 
then retiring on account of advanced age ; he is now living in Cam- 
bridge, and is over 90 years old. His successor was H. Temple, of 
Boston, who, on account of ill health and the cares of his position as 
treasurer of the York Mills, of Saco, remained but one year. From 
1 87 1 to June 1878, D. D. Crombie, who was local agent under Batch- 
elder, was treasurer. The directors are all prominent business men, 
who manifest a zealous interest in the management of the details of 
the mills. The present board comprises Thomas Wigglesworth, Jas. 
Longley, Abijah E. Hildreth, Augustus Lowell, Abbott Lawrence, 
Thomas Minns, and James Ellison. At least one member, James 
Ellison (and perhaps Thomas Wigglesworth), has been in the board 
since the mills were incorporated. The first agent was the late treas- 
urer, Mr. Crombie, who retired in February 1S66, and was succeeded 
by John R. Perry, who was removed to make place for D. M. Ayer. 
The vibration of Mr. Crombie from agent to treasurer, and the con- 
sequent changes of agents, did not occur without some unpleasant- 
ness among some of the management. The necessity for a greater 
production of goods, in a more economical manner, is supposed to 
have been the cause of the next change of agents, which occurred 
three years ago, when Mr. Charles McDuffie, the present incumbent 
was appointed. The advancement of the market value of the stock 




THOMAS A. EMMONS, 



Loom Harness manufacturer, 7 May street; residence, 119 May St. 
Came to Lawrence 1 1 years ago. Born at Kennebunkport, Me., in 
1827. Learned his trade at Biddcford, Me., 28 years ago and has 
worked at it ever since. Commenced business about 25 years ago at 
Holyoke, where he remained till 1861. Married Elizabeth Benson 
at Holyoke in 1853. Has three sons. Attends Second Baptist 
Church. He erected his mill nine years ago on May street. It was 
partially destroyed by fire two years ago, and immediately re-built 
with an additional story. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. lOI 

is certainly an outside evidence that the desired result was attained. 

The par value of the stock is $ioo, and the highest quotation ever 

reached, was $i8o, in 1864 ; the lowest $70, in 1875 ; since the 

present agent's management the stock has gone up to $88 1-2. Mr. 

McDuffie has kept the property in prime condition and made many 

repairs and alterations. A fire occurred last winter which destroyed 

a large portion of the dye works, but in a few weeks the damage was 

repaired. With business as good as it has been during the past two 

years, there is no reason why the stock should not soon touch par 

value and semi-annual dividends of 3 per cent, be declared. The 

prdducts of the Everett Mills find a market in the United States and 

Dominion of Canada. The mills are now running closer to the 

market consumption than at any time during the past year. George 

C. Richardson & Co., are selling agents in Boston and New York. 

James Longley, President; Eugene H. Samson, Treasurer; Au- 
gustus Lowell, Abbott Lawrence, Thomas Mmns, A. E. Hildreth, and 
James Ellison, Directors; Charles D. McDuffie, Agent; WilHam A. 
Barrell, Paymaster. 

Assets. 

Land, water power, buildings $367,000 00 

Machinery 373>ooo 00 

Cash and debts receivable 346,7^3 §5 

Manufactures, material and stock in process 324,769 25 

Total ^^'41 1,533 10 

Liabilities. 

Capital stock $800,000 00 

Debts 570,000 00 

Reserves 4^,533 10 

Total $1,41 1,533 10 



102 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL 

LAWRENCE WOOLEN COMPANY. 

The Lawrence Woolen Company was incorporated in war times, 
1864, and its projector and principal founder was Capt. O. H. Perry, 
who is also the head of the house of Perry, Wendell & Fay, Boston, 
the selling agents of the mills. George P. Upham of Boston, is 
treasurer, and Cai)tain Perry is the local agent, residing in Andover, 
and frequendy visiting the mill. The corporation has, in a financial 
view, been straight from its incorporation, though, like other manu- 
factories, especially of woolen goods, it has suffered considerably 
from the business depression, but is at present "holding its own." 
The corporation has a capital stock of $150,000, runs one mill of 
3280 spindles and 47 looms, employs 125 hands, and manufactures 
240,000 yards of woolens per annum, from 156,000 pounds clean 
wool. The power is furnished by one four-foot water wheel. The 
I)roducts are all kinds of fancy woolen goods for men's and women's 
wear, especially for cloakings. A specialty is also made of fine woolen 
shawls, which are manufactured in great variety. 

ARLINGTON MILLS. 

The Arlington Mills are the youngest of our larger manufacturing 
establishments, and during their thirteen years' existence have won a 
brilliant reputation. The act of incorporation was secured in 1865 
by Messrs. Robert M. Bailey, Charles A. Lombard, Joseph Nickerson 
and George C. Bosson, who comprised the stockholders, and the 
mills were started with a capital of $200,000. The original name 
was "Arlington Woolen Mills," and the early products were only fancy 
shirting flannels and wool felted fabrics. Li 1866 the buildings were 
totally destroyed by fire, but rebuilt the following year, when the 
capital was increased to $240,000. The tariff of 1866, which had 
given a stimulus to the worsted industry, encouraged the manage- 
ment to embark in the manufacture of women's worsted and cotton 




JOHN K. NORWOOD, 



Insurance, Real Estate, Loans, &c. Office 6 Lawrence St. : residence 
62 Eutaw Street. Has been in Lawrence 21 years. Born at East- 
port, Me., August, 1837. Common School education. Worked in 
dry goods store in early life. Has been in insurance business 12 
years. In the war for the Union he ser\'ed in the 9th Massachusetts 
Battery three years. Received bullet wound in the right lung at 
Gettysburg. Mr. Norwood represents in his insurance business, the 
PlKenix, N. Y. ; Fire Association, Pa. ; Merchants and American, 
Newark ; Girard, Pa. ; Phoenix Life, Hartford ; and Citizens and 
Merrimac, Dwelling House Mutuals with combined assets of $20, 785,- 
787.63. Losses have been paid to the following parties : J. Stowell, D. 
Saunders, D. Spurr, L. Ladd, Briggs & Allvn, A. Ordway, A. J. French, 
J. Killalee, Steel & McDonald, H. Phnnmer, J. Gaffney, G.W. Hills, Es- 
sex Co., M. S. Dodge, T.Wilkinson and others to the amount of $65,000. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS.' IO3 

dress goods, for which a large quantity of new and modern machinery 
was secured. Many difficulties were encountered in establishing the 
new enterprise, and less determined men would have become dis- 
heartened and abandoned the venture. In 1869 the company be- 
came financially embarassed, but the stockholders p aid into the 
treasury the whole amount of the capital, $240,000 ; a change in 
management was also made, by the election of Joseph Nickerson for 
president, and William Whitman for treasurer and general agent. 

The local managers are Samu^^l Smith, superintendent, Chas. Wain- 
wright, cashier. In 187 1 began the work of remodelling and in- 
creasing the productive capacity of the works, and since then there 
have been large additions of machinery and buildings. In 1875 the 
Legislature changed the name to "Arlington Mills," dropping the 
word "Woolen ;" in 1876 the capital was increased to $320,000, and 
in 1877 agiin increased to $500,000. To the treasurer, Wm. Whit- 
man, and the local superintendent, Samuel Smith, the corporation is 
largely indebted for its success, which is now at its high tide. The 
capacity of the mills for the manufacture of worsted and dress goods 
is being largely increased the present year by the erection of a dye 
house, giving three times the capacity for coloring, the mills have 
had heretofore. To do this required the re-location of the canal, but 
by the aid of the big Corliss engine the mills have been kept contin- 
ually running. 

One feature has been adopted at these mills that is of great advan- 
tage to the operatives, and that is the weekly payment of the help. 
Every employe of the corporation receives his or her pay every 
Saturday night, — a plan that might with advantage be adopted by 
every corporation in the city. 

The products of the mills are, especially, black alpacas, mohairs 
and brilliantines, a class of goods these mills were the first in this 
country to successfully manufacture, and which it was believed could 
not be successfully made elsewhere than in Bradford, England ; but the 



I04 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL 

Arlington has fully demonstrated that they can be made in the United 
States quite equal if not superior in every respect to the fabrics made 
in Europe. The award for these goods at the Centennial Exhibition 
was accompanied by a very flattering commendation. The corpora- 
tion has two mills, 6336 spindles, 508 looms, employs 350 females 
and 232 males; 5200 pounds of cotton yarn, and 13,000 pounds of 
clean wool are used weekly, and each week 100,000 yards of goods 
are manufactured and dyed; 2200 tons of coal and 3800 gallons of 
oil are used per annum ; the motive power is supplied by three 
Swaine water wheels of 200 horse power, and one Corliss engine of 
300 horse power. The help employed is of a superior class, and the 
utmost harmony exists between the management and employes. The 
selling agents of the mill are Lawrence & Co., Boston, and Thomas 
T. Lea & Co., Philadelphia. 

WRIGHT MANUFACTURING COMPANY. 

The Wright Manufacturing Company was incorporated in 1873, 
the incorporators being A. W. Stearns, A. S. Wright, and A. J. French. 
I'or some time the manufticture was largely confined to cotton and 
alpaca braids, but a little more than two years ago this corporation 
introduced the manufacture of fine mohair braids, and by processes 
of their own invention, they are enabled to produce the finest and 
nicest braids of the world, and at prices that defy competition. The 
enterprise has been one of marked success from the beginning. 
They make every variety of pure mohair for trimming and binding, 
from one to twelve fil, and widths from two to twenty-four lines. 
About one-half the production of the mill is at present mohair goods. 

The capital of the company is $60,000. There are 125 hands 
employed, and an annual production of goods amounting to about 
$350,000. The officers at present are A. J. French, President ; A. 
W. Stearns, Treasurer and selling agent. Directors : A. W. Stearns, 
A. S. Wright, C. W. Stevens ; Clerk, Wm. L. Wardman. 




CHARLES RUSSELL MASON, 

Of the firm of Chas R, Mason & Co., Hardware Dealers, 327 Essex 
Street, his brother Eugene J. Mason being the other member of the 
firm, which has been a successful one for many years. Mr. Mason 
came to this city twenty-three years ago, and established the business 
in which he is still engaged. He resides at 265 Haverhill Street, and 
has a family. Born at Cambridge, Mass., March 22, 1832. 



* • 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. IO5 

These nine embrace all the concerns doing business as corpora- 
tions in the manufacture of cotton and woolen fabrics within the city- 
limits. All of them derive their chief power from the waters of the 
Merrimack, with the exception of two, the Everett Mills and the 
Arlington Mills, these being upon the Spicket river. Water supplies 
the cheapest motive power for the manufacture of cloths, but from 
the introduction of steam engines in all the principal mills, some of 
then\,of sufficient power to drive the whole works, it is patent that 
both agencies are necessary for the greatest success. 



IX. 
MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION. 



* This chai)ter is devoted to a brief epitome of the political history 
of Lawrence, not that anything startling or out of the common 
course has occurred, but for the reason that no fair estimate can be 
made of the growth and stability of any municipality without some 
knowledge of how its public trusts have been administered. In com- 
mon with other municipalities, Lawrence has sometimes felt the ill 
effects of substituting Policy for Principle. Too frequently men 
poorly calculated by nature or education for public trusts have been 
elected to public stations ; but as a general thing the government of 
the town and city has been wisely administered. Perhaps in no city 
in the Commonwealth have political parties been more evenly divided 
than in Lawrence. The soil has been almost invariably barren for 
the growth of any party outside of the two great national divisions, 
Republican and Democrat. The Labor Reform party, as a party, 
had a brief existence, because one or both of the great divisions 
adopted its chief principles. The Prohibitory party has had an ex- 
istence since i)rohibition became an issue ; but at best its growth has 
been slow and it has failed to mark its impress, or make its influence 
felt to any great degree. Not that its supporters were not honest in 
their belief or earnest in its application, but because the general sen- 
timents of the public and the principles of their professions were 
not in accord. " Knownothingism," like the measles or any other 

• Wii are imljbtedto City Clijrk J. E. Shepanl for information contained in this chapter. 

106 




JOHN CALVIN DOW, 

Crockery and Plated Ware, 302 PLssex St. ; residence, 9 East Haver- 
hill St. Came to Lawrence April 20, 1847. l^orn at Plaistow, N. H., 
Nov. 9, 1824. Spent seventeen years upon the farm with his fiither. 
Educated at country school and Lowell high school. Worked on iron 
in Lowell. Established the hook and stationery business on Common 
St., Lawrence, 1847, from which lie retired Nov., 1870, entering the 
crockery business in 1872. Married ALary Grafton Fenno, Dec. 3rd, 
1850 ; has four sons. Attends Grace Episcopal Church. The estab- 
lishment of the Lawrence Public Library is largely due to the exer- 
tions of Mr. Dow, and he is at present a member of its board of trustees. 



QUARTER-CENTENNIAL HIST(;RY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. IO7 

epidemic, had its run and for a time carried everything before it, and 
during the war the Union sentiment and the Union party held full 
sway ; but since the, war with occasionally an exceptional year, the 
contest for supremacy has been between the two great parties, and 
party lines definitely and rigorously drawn in Municipal as well as 
General elections. Now and then a " Citizens " movement has been 
inaugurated and carried through successfully ; but a careful analysis 
of the interests which gave rise to the movement develops the fact 
that such movement generally originated in the party least hopeful of 
success at the polls, and while the great mass supporting it were hon- 
est and single minded, we feel constrained to say, that a few profes- 
sional politicians found in such occasions an excellent opportunity 
for the development of their talents. 

Perhaps the only election ever held in Lawrence where party poli- 
tics did not directly or indirectly exert an influence was on the occa- 
sion of the first town meeting which was held Monday, April 26th, 
1847, under a warrant issued by Dan Weed, Esq., directed to Charles 
S. Storrow. The charter had just gone into effect, the inhabitants 
were practically strangers to each other, and under these circum- 
stances the best men were sought, regardless of party affiliation. 
Henry Flanders, a practising lawyer here, afterwards an eminent 
lawyer in Philadelphia, was elected moderator and E. W. Morse, 
town clerk ; Daniel Saunders was elected treasurer, and the board of 
selectmen consisted of William Swan, Charles F. Abbott, Nathan 
Wells, James Stevens, and L. D. Brown ; and for school committee 
men choice was made of James D. Herrick, Wm. D. Lamb and Dan 
Weed. 

At a meeting held Friday, April 30th, in the same year, the town 
voted to raise four thousand five hundred dollars for town charges ; 
twelve hundred dollars for the " repair and support of highways, 
town ways and bridges," and two thousand dollars for the support of 
schools for the year ensuing, and Bailey Bartlett was elected collec- 



I08 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL 

tor of taxes at a compensation of one per cent., which subsequently 
was made two per cent. The town also voted the " necessary sum 
or sums of money " to purchase two fire engines, and two thousand 
dollars for the purpose of building two school houses. The town 
being in a crysalis state, other town meetings as the needs of the 
town required were held during the year for the transaction of, to us, 
apparently unimportant business, but to them fraught with great 
responsil)ilities. 

The March meeting of 1848 for the election of Town officers, 
witnessed the introduction of party lines in municipal affairs. Had 
the welfare of the nation depended upon the result, no greater emu- 
lation or resolution could have been displayed than was manifested. 

William D. Joplin was elected Moderator on the first ballot, as was 
William Morse to the office of Town Clerk. For the other officers 
several ballots were taken and four attempts were made to elect 
selectmen before the board was filled, with the following named per- 
sons : David J. Clark, Charles F. Abbott, William D. Joplin, Levi 
Sprague an»l John M. Smith. No better success was had in the bal- 
lotings for the remaining officers. So much time was spent in this 
manner that an adjourned meeting was necessary for the transaction 
of the greater part of the business called for in the warrant. It hav- 
ing been voted to build a Town House its place of location became a 
mooted question. The suggestion to locate it on Jackson street, 
between Orchard and Garden streets was rejected. It was then de- 
cided to locate the building west of Appleton street and the proposi- 
tion to locate it where it now is, was voted down, and a motion to 
build on the corner of Lawrence and Common streets was carried by 
ten majority, which vote was subsecjuently reconsidered and the pres- 
ent location decided upon, and under the direction of a special com- 
mittee the building was erected, Charles Bean being the agent of the 
town. A motion to build a hall capable of seating three thousand 
people was carried, but the committee evidently did not closely fol- 




EBENEZER B. CURRIER, 

Real Estate Broker, i8i Essex St., Lawrence, Mass.; residence, 144 
East Haverhill St. I^orn in Amesbury, Mass., May, 3, 1813. Went to 
Lowell in 1837, and worked at clerking a few years, subsequently en- 
tering the retail boot and shoe business on Merrimack St., manufactur- 
ing both for the wholesale and retail trade. Moved to Lawrence in 
1847, and started the same business, in which he continued until 1852, 
the firm name being Footman & Currier. Representative to General 
Court in 1851, and it was through his efforts that the courts were re- 
moved to this city from Ipswich. Assessor the year the city charter 
was adoi)ted and the year following. County commissioner for six 
years, beginning with 1855. Was inspector at State alms house in 
1856-7. One of the inspectors at the house of correction in this city 
in 1865, and held the ofifice six years. Has been justice of the peace 
since 1867. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, .MASS. IO9 

low the instructions. Subsequent town meetings were as turbulent 
until the town became a city, and, generally speaking, the Whigs 
were in the ascendancy, although now and then a Democratic select- 
man or other town ofificer was chosen. The selectmen in 1849 were 
Levi Sprague, Charles F. Abbott and Isaac Fletcher. In 1850, Ar- 
temas Parker, Jr., William R. Page and William Gile. In iS5[-52, 
William R. Page, Levi Sprague and Joseph Norris. 

Our beautiful Common was the subject of much animated discus- 
sion in the town meetings held in 1848. The first recorded expres- 
sion relating to it appears in the records of the meeting held April 
17th, 1848, article 3d of the warrant being, "To see if the town will 
accept the land set apart by the Essex Company for a Common, and 
act thereon." Under this article a committee of five, consisting of 
S. H. Stevens, Ivan Stevens, A. Stevens, Jr., M. D. Ross and A. D. 
Blanchard, were apyiointed to confer with the Essex Company as to 
the conditions upon which they will deed the Common to the town." 
The committee reported the same day that "The Essex Company 
are not prepared to make any definite proposals of terms of deed." 
This report was accepted and the committee discharged. 

A motion to instruct the selectmen "to accept a conveyance of 
the land laid out for a Common by the Essex Company," with 
such restrictions by the company as were not objectionable was 
amended by directing the appointment of a second committee of 
conference, which consisted of D. Saunders, Jr., J. D. Herrick, S. H. 
Stevens, Wm. A. Goodwin, and G. W. Sanborn, whose duty it was to 
ascertain the terms upon which the company would convey the land 
and the report of the committee was finally acted upon at a meeting 
held September 23d, the second article in the warrant being "to see 
if the town will accept the Common upon the conditions stated in 
the report of the committee appointed to confer with the Essex Com- 
pany, etc." The vote being taken it was voted "not to accept the 
Common upon the conditions made by the Essex Company." At an 



no QUARTER-CENTENNTAL 

adjourned meeting held October 7th, the voters had evidently re- 
ceived more light as to the intentions of the Essex Company for the 
records of that meeting are, "Charles Murch who voted with the 
majority moved a reconsideration of the vote passed September 23d, 
in relation to the acceptance of the Common," and the records con- 
tinue after a vote to reconsider had been adopted, "Voted that the 
Common be accepted upon the conditions made by the Essex Com- 
pany." 

We have not space to spare for more than an outline of those early 
days. The town records of those times contain a mine of statistical 
wealth but valuable chiefly to the few who survive those days or the 
statistician. We have briefly touched upon the salient points in 
which the acts then done have directly affected to a greater or less ex- 
tent the men and matters of the present day. They were earnest 
men, energetic men ; they were and are the only kind of men that 
can found and build up a city. They had commenced a vast under- 
taking but they did not neglect small things. They were building for 
the future, and they "builded better than they knew." They were 
Democratic in its broadest and best sense, and believed in the gov- 
ernment of the people by the people, and they zealously guarded 
every right. Their acceptance of the Common is an instance of this. 
They did not fail to appreciate the vast advantage of the gift of the 
Common by the Essex Company, but the tender was hampered 
by conditions which at first they deemed inimical, and they did not 
hesitate for a moment to decline its acceptance, and when the condi- 
tions were explained and fully understood, they with practical unan- 
imity accepted what they had previously rejected. If one doubts 
their manliness and independence, they have but for a moment to 
consider that upon the Essex Company depended the material wel- 
fare of the town. The land, the power, all were vested in the great 
corporation, but the people neither truckled or bent the knee that 
"thrift might follow fawning," but sturdily kept their manhood ,and 
their example has been felt all through the corporate life of the city. 




DAMKl. HAKDV, 



Residence, 268 Lowell Street. Has resideil in Lawrence since May, 
1S46. Was born at Newburypoit, Dec. 14, 181 6. He was employed 

by the Eastern Railroad in Newburyport three years, and at Boston 
live years. He was connected with the Boston iS; Maine Railroad 
at Lawrence for twenty-eight years. Married to Ann P. Sinn)nton of 
Portland, Oct. 27, 1844 ; has one child. Is connected with the Kliot 
Con^^regational church. Mr. Hardy served as school committeeman 
from 1856 to 1870 and from 1873 to 1876, making seventeen years. 
Was councilman in 1853, filled a vacancy in 1854, and was a member 
of the aldermanic board in 1866. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 



With the acceptance of the City Charter came, new ckities, new 
responsibihties, and the clear cut outHnes of individuahsm faded away, 
with here and there an exception, and men became merely the mass. 

At the first city election in 1853, there were about 1000 names 
upon the voting list, and from the closeness with which the list was 
voted, (as shown by checks) it is inferred that nearly every one took 
an active interest in the proceedings. Of the voters upon the check 
list at that time about two hundred remain in the city to-day. Follow- 
ing is the list of those living here at present, as near as can be ascer- 
tained who voted at that election : 



Armington, Pardon H., 
Allison, Samuel, 
Andrews, W. H., 
Ambrose, Nathaniel, 
Ames, Samuel, 
Ayer, Perley, 
Ames, Benjamin, 
Armstrong, H. S., 
Blood, Albert, 
Bailey, Heaton, 
Barr, Thomas, 
Bartlett, Bailey, 
Batdes, J. P., 
Belcher, Hiram, 
Blanchard, A. D., 
Baldwin, Munroe, 
Brewster, A. R., 
Briggs, Alanson, 
Bunker, A. S., 
Berry, S. H., 
Bodwell, Asa M., 



Barker, Ebenezer, 
Barnes, T. P., 
Beetle, John, 
Blood, L. L., 
Brown, Asa N., 
Bryant, Amasa, 
Burridge, J. Q. A., 
Burridge, William, 
Butler, Frederick, 
Buxton, Alonzo, 
Cabot, George D., 
Chandler, H. P., 
Chadbourne, Benjamin F., 
Chapman, E. L., 
Clark, A. C, 
Clement, H. D., 
Conway, Thomas H., 
Chase, Charles, 
Clark, A. P., 
Colby, J. S. M., 
Currier, E. B., 



QUARTER-CENTENNIAL 



Cheney, Bradford, 
Churchill, Alfred, 
Colby, William W., 
Currier, Alonzo K., 
Churchill, John, 
Cale, T. J., 
Cahill, James, 
Carter, Levi, 
Clark, Albion G., 
Clifford, Thomas, 
Closson, C. C, 
Crouse, John F., 
Caufy Edward, 
Chandler, Abiel R., 
Carter, Levi H., 
Carter, Ebenezer, 
Clark, James, 
Colby, John, 
Drake, N. P., 
Dow, John C, 
Drew, J. D., 
Durant, Adolphus, 
Drew, F. C, 
Dana, David, 
Damon, H. P., 
Doland, John J., 
Dolloff, E. B., 
Daly, Andrew, 
Davis, S. M., 
Donovan, Timothy, 
Durgin, H. J., 
Edwards, Franklin, 



Fogg, James A., 
Fairfield, James M., 
Fletcher, Isaac, 
Fay, A. M., 
Farnham, J. W., 
Flanders, Freeman, 
Fuller, George A., 
Farrell, Henry, 
Fisher, William, 
Gallison, William B., 
Gardner, Isaac B., 
Gale, John, 
Griffin, Benjamin, 
Giles, A. W., 
Gleason, Justin, 
Glidden, J. D., 
Goodrich, A. W., 
Gould, Samuel, 
Holt, Nathan, 
Hosmer, Abner, 
Ham, H. S., 
Ham, F. B., 
Harmon, Nathan W., 
Hart, John, 
Herrick, E. B., 
Hills, George W., 
Hoadley, John C, 
Hutchinson, James S., 
Hatch, Seth, 
Higgins, Amos, 
Houghton, N. P., 
Hutchinson, John L., 




DAVID DANA, 



Physician ; oiifice and residence, 35 Jackson St. Has been in Law- 
rence about 30 years. Born at Dedham, Mass., 1825. Was kept at 
school when young, and graduated from Harvard Medical College in 
1847 ; spent one and one-half years in Boston public institutions as a 
physician. Married Dora Clark, in 185 1 ; has two children. At- 
tends Grace Episcopal Church. Has practiced medicine ever since 
coming to Lawrence. Was nearly two years in the War of the 
Rebellion, as surgeon of the ist Mass. Heavy Artillery ; taken prisoner 
at or near Centralville, in 1862, when from continued exposure to 
malarial poison in Virginia, he was sent home sick and obliged to re- 
sign. He has a pass given while prisoner by Gen. Lee, returning him 
to his regiment. Was the first city physician of Lawrence, and also 
the first physician appointed for the Jail and house of correction. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 



113 



Ham, T. C, 
Howe, Merrill N., 
Hardy, Daniel, 
Hamilton, O. B., 
Hart, Michael D., 
Herrick,-J. D., 
James, Thomas, 
Jordan, D. S., 
Joslyn, E. V., 
King, A. P. B., 
Knowles, Morris, 
Knights, Samuel W., 
Kempton, J. G., 
Kendall, Thomas, 
Kimball, W. A., 
Knox, Otis, 
Kelley, Daniel H., 
Lamb, William D., 
Low, T. B., 
Lyford, W. S., 
Littlefield, George, 
Ladd, Luther, 
Lewis, Rodney, A., 
Lindsay, Thomas L., 
Leeman, Wellington, 
Massey, Joseph, 
Mallard, Lauren, 
Merriam, J. F., 
Merriam, Thatcher, 
McAllister, William, 
Miles, James, 
Morrissey, John, 



Melvin, N. P. H., 
Moore, William H., 
Morrison, Abiel, 
Murphy, Patrick, 
McClure, William T., 
McCarty, John, 
Merrill, Charles R., 
Minehan, Edward, 
Moore, Larkin, 
Morse, D. A., 
Noyes, Henry, 
Noyes, B. C., 
Ordway, Aaron, 
' Osgood, Timothy, 
O'Reilley, Thomas, 
Porter, David T., 
Poulson, Alexander, 
Parsons, Thomas A., 
Page, Edward, 
Pearl, Oliver, 
Perkins, J. S., 
Pillsbury. C. K., 
Payson, Carleton, 
Perkins, A. J., 
Phelps, Augustus, 
Phillips, H. H., 
Pillsbury, Joshua, 
Pingree, William E., 
Poor, Edward P., 
Pedrick, William R., 
Pearsons, A. G., 
Perkins, Moses, 



H4 



QUARTER-CENT EN^^AL 



Plummer, H., 
Poor, Samuel, 
Poor, George, 
Proctor, Moses, 
Putnam, Albert M., 
Reed, Rufus, 
Rollins, John R., 
Robinson, D. F., 
Rossiter, Ambrose, 
Richardson, Eli, 
Richardson, D. C, 
Robinson, Gilman B., 
Rogers, Thomas C, 
Spalding, Wm. R., 
Stratton, Lewis, 
Sullivan, William, 
Sutcliffe, Phillip, 
Saunders, Daniel, 
Scott, Thomas, 
Smith, Charles, 
Sweeney, Patrick, 
Sanborn, George, 
Sargent, L. D., 
Sargent, Moses., 
Simmons, S. P., 
Stannard, James H., 
Stearns, A. W., 
Stoddard, Leonard, 
Stoddard, R. S., 
Stearns, Samuel, 
Stowell, Joseph, 
Smith, Charles M., 



Salisbury, Geo. W., 
Sargent, F^dwin, 
Shattuck, Joseph, 
Smith, John, 
Smith, William B., 
Stevens, Abiel, 
Stevens, Warren, 
Stevens, Ivan, 
Stoddard, Alphonsoi, 
Stokes, Joel, 
Stone, Thomas, 
Stone, John, 
Sibley, Kneeland, 
Tewksbury, Isaac,, 
True, Ira, 
Tims, Henry, 
Trull, Elijah, 
Valpey, D. S. A., 
Varnum, L. N., 
Wadleigh, J. C, 
Webster, D. B., 
Whitney, H. M., 
Wright, W. H. P., 
Wiley, W. A., 
Wallace, S. Y., 
Webster, Abel, 
Wells, Nathan, 
White, N. G., 
Wilson, Allen, 
Wood, James M., 
Wright, A. S., 
Wood, Emerson, 




SAMUEL M. DAVIS, 



Real Estate Broker. Ofifice at North Depot ; residence, 36 Winter St. 
Born at Parsonsfield, Me., Feb. 24, 1820. Came to Lawrence in 1847. 
Was engineer on the Boston & Maine Railroad, running the first loco- 
motive into Lawrence over the railroad bridge, and also ran the first 
passenger train on the Manchester & Lawrence Railroad. Member 
of the common council in 1861, and of the board of alderman in 1867, 
1868, 1869. Is a member of the board of health for the present year. 
Has been a justice of the peace since 1870. Mr. Davis has always 
taken an active part in municipal matters. Married Almedia C. 
Small of Limington, Me., in 1852 ; has three children. Attends the 
Baptist church. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. II5 

Withington, Henry, Weeks, Benjamin, 

Wade, A. M., Wingate, Moses, 

Williams, Cyrus, Waterhouse, Gideon W., 

Walker, A. J., Yeaton, Philip, 

Warren, Albert, Yates, Stephen D. 

Webster, T. K., 

In the month of March, 1853, the legal voters were called to- 
gether to vote on the acceptance of the City Charter. The result 
was yeas, 659 ; nays, 143. 

The election for Mayor was April 18th, when there were two ballots 
taken, and a third and final one May 7th, with the following result : 
Charles S. Storrow had 577 ; Dana Sargent, 484 ; scattering, 21. 

At this election there was considerable interest felt. While many 
thought that to Mr. Storrow, the efficient agent of the Essex Company, 
who from the commencement of the new settlement had felt the 
deepest interest in everything relating to the material prosperity of 
the new enterprise, the compliment of the position of first Mayor 
properly belonged. Others feared that there was danger of corpora- 
tion influence having too complete predominance, and claimed that 
the interests of the corporations and those of the city were diverse 
and conflicting, but the result showed that such fear was without 
cause, for a more acceptable Chief Magistrate the city has never en- 
joyed. Mr. Storrow was elected on the third ballot as the candidate 
of the Whig party. Mr. Sargent that of the Democratic. 

* 1854. The second election was a spirited one, the third and last 
ballot resulting as follows : Enoch Bartlett received 65 1 votes, Geo. 
W. Benson, 529. James D. Herrick, 67, scattering, 12. Mr. Bartlett, 
candidate of the Democratic party, a young lawyer of considerable 
promise, was elected over Mr. Benson, the Whig candidate, also a 
promising lawyer universally esteemed, who the previous year had 
acted as City Clerk, and Mr. Herrick was the candidate of the Free 

* The electiou was held the Deceml)er previous. 



I l6 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL 

Soil party, which was then feebly working its way up with little i)ros- 
pect of ever assuming the power and strength and majesty of the 
great Republican party of United States. Mr. Bartlett unfortunately 
soon after his election had the misfortune to experience loss of health, 
and shortly after the end of his official term, went home to New 
Hampshire, his native State, to die. 

During this year commenced the great Know Nothing uprising, 
and the worry and excitement attendant upon the popular demon- 
strations, at times threatening the peace of the community, taxed the 
waning energies of our Mayor to an extent beyond their capacity. 

1855. This year the Know Nothings swept the city, Albert Warren 
Kngw Nothing candidate receiving 1037 votes, E. F. Bean, Demo- 
crat, 81, N. VV. Harmon, Whig, 82, scattering, 7. There was no 
occasion for three ballots as heretofore, the election being " like the 
handle to a jug, all on one side." The Whig and Democratic parties 
having resi)ectively dwindled down to a very few on either side who 
had little fear of the Pope of Rome making America his immediate 
headquarters. The sweep in Lawrence, however, was no more gen- 
eral than throughout the State, and Messrs. Harmon and Bean had 
no more cause to feel surprised or chagrined at their feeble follow- 
ing, than the Whig and Democratic candidates for public support 
had elsewhere throughout the Commonwealth. 

1856. This year the vote stood, Albert Warren, 758 votes: John 
R. Rollins, 386. The election was a repetition of the year before, 
the Democrats making no nomination, and Mr. Rollins conseciuently 
received the support of all persons not in affiliation with the dominant 
party, which as yet showed no symptoms of dissolution, although in 
fact so near its end. 

1857. This year John R. Rollins received 801 votes, Thomas 
Wright, 570, scattering, 6. Politics were not strictly defined. The 
Republican party had not yet assumed form and proportion. Both 




JAMES STUART BARRIE, 



Grocer, 122 Essex St. ; residence, 63 High St. Has been in Lawrence 
twenty-nine years. Born in Stirlingshire, Scotland, 1837. Worked in the 
factories in his boyhood ; learned the trade of wool-sorting, at which 
he worked for seventeen years, using his evenings for self-education. 
Married Mary Adelaide Morrill of Aniesbury in 1 860 ; has two children. 
Attends the Garden St. Episcoi)al Methodist church. Mr. Barrie is an 
earnest worker in the labor interest, a member of the Labor Reform 
State Central Committee, and has been closely connected with all 
temperance movements, having been a candidate for the legislature on 
the prohibition ticket in 1873, since which he has affiliated with the 
republican party, holding various offices. Was president of the com- 
mon council in 1877, and is at present president of the board of health. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. II7 

Messrs. Rollins and Wright were Whigs, and supporters of Gen. Win- 
field Scott in the Presidential election of this year, although many 
Whigs on this occasion refrained from voting at all, and not a few 
voted for his opponent, Gen. Pierce. The city at this time was 
strongly anti-democratic, and an outright Democratic nominee would 
have shown but a feeble following. Mr. Rollins was the nominee of 
the Whig -party and Mr. Wright received the support of the disaf- 
fected, whatever their nation, kind or condition. 

1858. John R. Rollins had 762 votes, N. G. White, 538, Nath- 
aniel G. White, 76, scattering, 11. This was almost a repetition of 
the preceding year, both Messrs. Rollins and White were members of 
the Whig party. Mr. Rollins being re-nominated by his party as be- 
fore, and Mr. White receiving the support of the Democratic party 
and disaffected generally. 

1859. This was probably the most spirited municipal contest our 
city ever witnessed. Henry K. Oliver, the Republican nominee, re- 
ceived 886 votes, Daniel Saunders, Jr., 589, scattering, 5. 

Republicanism had assumed somewhat fixed proportions and di- 
mensions, and Gen. Oliver was the nominee of that party, and Mr. 
Saunders of the Democratic, but politics were disregarded to quite a 
general extent. Mr. Saunders had the support of some of the most 
active Republicans, and Gen. Oliver the support of influential Demo- 
cratic Catholics and their followers. Feeling run high, but the Irish 
support being finally secured in favor of the latter, he was elected by 
quite a decided majority. 

i860. This year the political pot was turned over. Daniel Saun- 
ders, Jr., the Democratic nominee having 810 votes, and John R. 
Rollins, the Republican, having 646. Mr. RolHns, yielding to the 
solicitation of his party made the dangerous experiment of running 
for a third time. During the first month of this year occurred the 
terrible disaster of the fall of the Pemberton Mill, thus throwing upon 



I 1 8 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL 

the new Mayor a care, responsibility and duty such as no previous one 
had been called to assume. 

1 86 1. This year James K. Barker was the Republican candidate, 
and Benjamin F. Watson the Democratic, and the actual standing of 
the two respective parties at that time can be fairly judged by the 
result of this election. Mr. Barker had 967 -votes, Mr. Watson, 567, 
scattering, 3. Mr. Watson was an active, energetic politicmn, promi- 
nent and popular in his party, and a lawyer of first rate standing, 
with personal friends in abundance in all quarters of the city. He 
conducted the campaign personally and infused into his followers his 
own individual energy, spirit and dash, but things looked ominous 
abroad. There was an angry spirit in the South, — Lincoln was just 
elected President of the United States, and men stuck rigidly to their 
party regardless of private personal feeling. This was the first year 
of the war and on that account is memorable. 

1862. During the interim since last election, the Rebellion had 
broken out and with it came new responsibilities, new issues. The 
Republican party had become strongly cemented together, Mr. Wright 
was the popular war candidate, and in fact the better classes mostly 
rallied to his support. The vote stood, W. H. P. Wright, 805, N. G. 
White, 506, James K. Barker, 87. 

1863. The same issues upon which the previous campaign was 
fought entered into this issue. The vote was, W. H. P. Wright, 719, 
N. P. H. Melvin, 474, Nathaniel H. P. Melvin, 158. 

1864. This year the Republicans entered the campaign with Dr. 
A. J. French as standard bearer, while the opposition of all classes 
centered their strength u])on John Beetle as a citizens' candidate. 
The vote was, A. J. French, 720, John Beetle, 615. 

1865. The war party were early in the field for this campaign, and 
by selecting Mr. Bonney as candidate the opposition was feeble. The 
vote was, Milton Bonney, 762, N. Chapman, 270. 




EU(;ENE S. YATES, 



Physician and Surgeon, at 307 Essex St. ; residence, 28 Summer St. 
Has resided in Lawrence since 1847. ^^^^ horn at Locke's Mills, Me., 
Oct. 22, 1845. Educated at the public schools of the city, graduating 
from the high school in class of '64. Enlisted May 10, 1864 in Capt. 
Hamilton's Company, 8th Unattached, for three months ; stationed at 
(lalloupe's Island, Boston Harbor ; mustered out Aug. 1 1, 1864. Was 
letter-carrier at Lawrence Post Officj for the remainder of the year. 
Re-enlisted Jan. 2, 1865 in Co. I), Frontier Cavalry, stationed at Og- 
densburg, N. Y. ; mustered out June 30, 1865. Worked for Dr. Aaron 
Ordway, as apothecary clerk, from Aug. 9, 1865 to Nov. 9, 1869, when 
he entered Harvard Medical College, graduating at Bellevue Hospital 
Medical College, New York City, class of '72 ; has practiced in this 
city since then. Married Miss Cora G. Elliott of Fisherville, N. H., 
May 6, 1872. Attends the First Baptist church. City Physician for 
1878, and also a member of Lawrence Board of Heahh. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 1 19 

1866. The "boys" had come marching home before this muni- 
cipal election. In the fall of 1865 when the election came off 
there was considerable dissatisfaction in municipal affairs, and many 
of the prominent so called leaders decided to support N. G. White 
upon a citizens' ticket. Mr. White refused to have his name used 
without some sort of assurance that such a step was desirable on the 
part of a large number of influential citizens. His friends therefore 
circulated petitions requesting him to allow his name to be used. 
These were signed by over 800 voters, but for some cause the 
movement fell into disrepute, the poorer classes thinking it a move- 
ment in favor of the capitalist, and Pardon Armington was taken up 
as "Sam's" candidate, and with a short but vigorous campaign he 
was elected by a small majority. The year 1866 will be remembered 
as the most wasteful and improvident city government ever organized. 
The vote was, Pardon Armington, 894. N. G. White, 828. 

1867. The Republican party and its manipulators had fallen into 
disrepute and the Democrats carried the city by a small majority. 
N. P. H. Melvin had 959, L. A. Bishop, 831. 

1868. Mr. Melvin proving himself a most efficient public servant 
was elected without any determined opposition. N. P. H. Melvin 
had 1406 votes, Fred Butler, 668. 

1869. By Mr. Melvin's square and straightforward action he had 
displeased many party adherents and the Republicans in the mean 
time having increased so that with a fair degree of unity they could 
succeed, raUied on Major Frank Davis as their candidate. The 
contest was lively and a full vote was polled. Frank Davis was 
elected, having 155 1 votes, against 1396 for N. P. H. Melvin. 

1870. Mr. Melvin was again the standard bearer of the Demo- 
cratic party, and his known ability gave him a goodly number of 
votes outside his party, securing his election. The vote stood, N. P. 
H. Melvin, 15 18, John B. Atkinson, 1363. 



I20 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL 

Since that time the causes which have transpired to produce the 
results are quite familiar to most of the residents of to-day. A re- 
capitulation simply of the vote is therefore only appended for each 
municipal year. 

1871. S. B. W. Davis, 1665, John J. Doland, 1522. 

1872. S. B. W. Davis, 1726, John J. Doland, 1604, Daniel 
Hardy, 55. 

1873. John K. Tarbox, 1959, S. B. W. Davis, 1685. 

1874. John K. Tarbox, 221 1, scattering, 24. 

1875. R. H. Tevvksbury, 2396, N. P. H. Melvin, 1555. 

1876. Edmund R. Hayden, 2162, Wm. S. Knox, 1843. 

1877. Caleb Saunders, 2283, A. A. Currier, 2010. 

1878. James R. Simpson, 2365, Caleb Saunders, 1795. 

The following tables will show the comparative increase in muni- 
cipal wealth : 

Ratable Polls. Valuation. 

1847; 23 $1,719,204 

1848, • . . 497 3'8i4,426 

1849, 1,321 5,730,710 

1850, 2,318 5,902,741 

185 1, 2,249 6,407,926 

1852, 2,542 6,374,355 

1853 2,514 6,937,160 

1854, 3,096 8,842,915 

1855, Zr:,(i^ 9.954,041 

1856, 3,689 10,483,725 

1857, 3,525 10,227,310 

1858, 3,688 10,249,009 

1859, 2,932 10,022,947 

i860, 3,057 10,584,023 

1861, 3,609 10,269,615 

1862, 3,906 10,777,920 




EDWARD CAUFY, 

Station Agent at Boston & Maine north depot. Residence, lo Morton 
St. Was born in St. Albans, Me., July 26th, 1831. Left home at the 
age of 16, and worked at lumbering in his native state till 1849, when 
he came to Lawrence and worked for the Essex Co. two years. En- 
tered the employ of the B. & M. Railroad in 185 1, as conductor of 
shifting trains. Enlisted in Co. I, 6th Reg't, April 16, 1861, and was 
with the regiment in its "march through Baltimore." Enlisted in the 
26th Regiment the same year, and was commissioned ist lieutenant of 
Co. F, 1862. Four months after was commissioned captain of Co. B, 
and held that position until the close of the war. In 1873 was promoted 
to station agent by the Boston & Maine Company. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 12 

Ratable Polls. Valuation. 

1863, 3,378 10,937,450 

1864, 3,282 11,074,430 

1865, 3,692 12,783,273 

1866, ........ 4,147 13,748,285 

1867, 5j25o 14,684,000 

1868, 5,714 15,569,500 

1869, 5,960 16,647,000 

1870, 6,316 17,912,500 

1871, 6,006 18,552,000 

1872, 6,625 20,763,663 

1873, 7>ooo . . . . • 21,687,732 

1874 7>577 22,918,775 

1875, 7,728 24,117,475 

1876, 8,120 23,902,599 

1877, 8,026 23,902,537 

1878, 8,540 23,714,017 



X. 
PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 



In 1845, when the Essex Company commenced operations within 
the Umits of the territory which now constitutes Lawrence, the por- 
tion north of the Merrimack River was a part of Methuen, and the por- 
tion south of the river was a part of Andover. There were in th ; 
territory three one-story schoolhouses, looking hke those which were 
then to be seen in the sparsely populated districts of Massachusetts, 
one of the two in the Methuen portion giving no perceptible evidence 
that it had ever been painted ; the other showing that it had once been 
painted red, while the one on the south side still retained a yellowish 
tinge. Our fathers were nobly desirous that every child should be 
taught the rudiments of education, and they provided schools for 
them, but they seemed to think little of making the schoolhouse 
comfortable or attractive. In these houses, one upon Tower Hill, the 
second at the intersection of what are now Prospect and East Hav- 
erhill Streets, and the third on the south side, near the intersection of 
the Lowell road and the Turnpike, there were summer and winter 
schools of a few weeks' duration. 

In the year 1846, the Essex Company erected a schoolhouse be- 
tween Haverhill and Tremont Streets, where a school was opened 
under the direction of the Methuen School Committee, on the 7th of 
November, by Nathaniel Ambrose as teacher. He commenced with 








GILBERT EDWIN HOOD. 



Was born in Chelsea, Vt., November 21st, 1824; lived upon his 
father's farm until he was 2 1 years old. Graduated at Dartmouth 
College in 1851. Taught school before, during and after his college 
course. Married Frances E. Herrick of Danvers, Mass., in 1852. 
Was admitted to the Bar in Boston in 1855. Commenced the prac- 
tice of law in Lawrence in 1859, and has resided here ever since. 
Has held the positions of Associate Justice of Lawrence Police Court, 
City Solicitor, Register of Deeds, Superintendent of Schools, for 
twelve years, and is at present Treasurer of the Broadway Savings 
Bank. 



QUARTER-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 1 23 

twenty-five scholars, but before the expiration of its first year it num- 
bered one hundred and fifty scholars. 

April 17th, 1S47, the act of incorporation of the Town of Law- 
rence was signed by the Governor, and April 26th there was a town 
meeting for the choice of officers. The whole number of votes 
thrown was 1 64. A School Committee of three were chosen, — James 
D. Herrick, Dan Weed, and Wm. D. Lamb, M. D., two of whom 
are still residents of our city. At their second meeting it was voted 
that one male teacher and five female teachers be employed, Mr. 
Ambrose as male teacher in the Essex Company's house. Miss Rob- 
inson for the Durant District, Miss Ford for the Tower Hill District, 
Miss Brown and Miss Abbott for the Free Will Baptist Vestry, and 
Miss Odell on the south side of the river. 

During this year, a story and a half schoolhouse was built on Jack- 
son street, where the Unitarian church now stands, and a similar one 
upon the Lowell road on the south side of the river. 

At the annual town meeting held March 1848, a school committee 
of five were chosen, consisting of J. D. Herrick, of the previous 
committee, and Nathan W. Harmon, Henry F. Harrington, Lyman 
Whiting, and George Packard, two of whom are still residents of the 
city. The committee, early in the year, and after consultation with 
Hon. Horace Mann and other distinguished educators, adopted the 
system of schools, which with our small territorial area, was deemed 
the best for us, consisting of primary, intermediate or middle schools, 
scattered over the territory of the town ; one grammar school upon 
the North Side of the river in some central position, one Grammar 
School upon the South Side, and one High School for the whole 
town. At the first meeting of the Committee, held March 13th, a 
sub-committee was appointed to confer with the town's finance com- 
mittee upon the absolute necessity of additional room for four hundred 
scholars, and the obligation of the town by statute to provide a High 



1 24 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL 

School. The finance committee reported in favor of an appropria- 
tion of $12,500 for the erection of an edifice of the capacity de- 
manded. 

April 3d, a male teacher was placed over the Grammar School on 
South Side. April 13th, Geo. A. Walton was elected master of the 
Grammar School on the north side of the river, and which was then 
kept in the Jackson street house. Mr. Walton's connection with that 
school was commenced April 17th, 1848, and was continued without 
interruption until the summer of 1864 : and during these more than 
sixteen years he was the earnest, devoted teacher, under whose man- 
agement the school was, what one of our reports said of it, — an ad- 
mirably ordered, well instructed and happy Grammar School. 

At the School Committee meeting held November 14th, 1848, 
Rev. Mr. Harrington reported the gift of school apparatus from Gen. 
H. K. OHver, and the following vote was passed : "That as General 
Oliver, had tendered to the committee the gift of a valuable philo- 
sophical and astronomical apparatus for the use of the High School of 
this town, his generous offer be gratefully accepted, and the chairman 
be authorized to receive the same agreeably to the wishes of the 
donor." At the meeting of the committee held November 21st, it 
was voted " That the upper rooms of the new School House be de- 
voted to the use of the Grammar School, and the front room of the 
lower story be devoted to the use of the High School." 

1849, January 17, Mr. Thomas W. T. Curtis was examined, and 
elected teacher of the High School. 

The time for dedicating the new School House on Haverhill 
Street, was fixed for January 30th, and at a meeting of the school 
committee the evening previous, it was voted, " To proceed to the 
choice. of a name for the new School House." Voted, "That the 
School to be hereafter kept in the School House on -Haverhill Street, 
in town of Lawrence, shall bear the name of the Oliver School, and 




JOHN F. COGSWELL, 



Cogswell & Co.'s Express, ofifice, 5 Lawrence Street; residence, 276 
Haverhill St. Born at Dover, N. H., March, 1835. Educated at 
Phillips Academy, Andover. Came to Lawrence in 1853. He was 
employed at the Pacific Mills four years, and by the Boston & Maine 
Co. two years. Entered the express business in 1859, and has con- 
tinued in it since that time. Attends Grace Episcopal church. Was 
a member of common council in 1862-63, ^^^ i^ ^^ present one of 
the trustees of the city library ; also a trustee of the Broadway Savings 
Bank. Married Esther M. Merrill in i860 ; has two children. 



HISTORY OF L.'WVRENCE, MASS. 1 25 

that this name shall be publicly announced by the chairman of the 
school committee in the words of the above vote." 

January 31st, the Committee met at the Oliver School House, and 
after examination, seventeen were admitted to the High School. 
September 4th, of that same year, another examination of candidates 
took place, but none were admitted. 

The High School continued under the sole charge of Mr. Curtis, 
with about twenty scholars, until that number was increased by the 
admission of twenty-two scholars, September 2d, 1850, seven only 
without qualification. October 24th Miss Sarah B. Hooker was 
elected assistant teacher, whose subsequent course fully sustained the 
high expectations formed from her appearance and examination. 

During the municipal year ending March ist, 1850, the Amesbury 
Street School House, the Newbury Street School House, and the 
School House on Tower Hill, which was called the Pine Grove School 
House, were built. During the year ending March, 1851, a better 
School House was built on the South Side of the river, opposite the 
residence of M. C. Andrews, and also the Cross Street House, and a 
one-story, and what was considered a temporary house on Oak Street, 
in the rear of the Oliver School House. A plan was also submitted 
by the School Committee for the enlargement of the Oliver School 
House, by building a transverse section, three stories in height, fur- 
nishing in the upper story a large and commodious hall, and in the 
second and first stories, eight rooms. At the close of the fourth 
municipal year there were seventeen distinct schools under the care 
of twenty-five teachers, and having an attendance of 1470 scholars. 

From the first, the town met with prompt liberality every reasona- 
ble demand made by the School Committee, but those demands could 
not be properly anticipated. Neither the town authorities nor the 
School Committee had data by which they could calculate with cer- 
tainty the School accommodations that would be required in any 
specified time. The School report for the year ending March, 1850 



12 6 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL 

says : " When the OHver School House was planned, no idea of a 
Grammar School was associated with the premises, as it was supposed 
that the Jackson Street House would accommodate the Grammar 
School on this side of the river, for an indefinite period. But before 
the walls were up it was found necessary entirely to alter the plan, 
and the Grammar School was placed in its upper story, with seats for 
184 scholars." And although the house was dedicated January 30th, 
1849, the report further states, the accommodations it furnishes have 
long been insufificient. In the report of the next year, from M irch 
31, 1850 to March 31, 1851, when advocating the necessary enlarge- 
ment of the building, the committee said : " It is a matter of profound 
thanksgiving on our part, in view of our official responsibility, that 
we are not answerable for the extraordinary increase of the children 
of this town." Our predecessors recommended that a new house 
should be built for the middle and primary schools now kept in the 
Oliver House, and the rooms they had occupied be devoted to the 
Grammar School, adding : This arrangement will answer, it is hoped 
for several years. Several years? It was not several months, — in- 
deed, the arrangement had not been carried into effect before the 
increase of scholars was such as to leave everything worse off than 
before. One hundred and twenty-five children, the report farther 
says " are now waiting for room in the Oliver School House.'' 
With good reason, therefore, the committee urged the addition of the 
large transverse section. 

Since that addition was made there has never been the uncomfor- 
table pressure of necessity, so very difficult to provide for, that for so 
many years harrassed the Committee. 

In the year ending March, 1852, the Unitarian Vestry, which was 
on Jackson Street, and had been for some years occupied as a School 
House, was purchased and removed to the intersection of Newbury 
and Elm Streets, and has been and is known as the Elm Street 
School House. 




ALBERT DAVID SWAN, 



Fire Insurance Agent. Office at No. 7 Lawrence Street ; residence, 
corner of Andover St. and Winthrop Ave. Has been in Lawrence 
since 1848, excepting from 1861 to 1866. Born in Tewksbury, Mid- 
dlesex Co., Mass., May 10, 1845. Attended the Oliver Grammar and 
Lawrence High School ; graduated at Comer's Commercial College, 
Boston. Married Helen Eliza Churchill, May loth, 1866; has no 
children. Unitarian in belief. Commenced as clerk in the private 
banking house of Hallgarten & Herzfield, New York City ; was after- 
wards gold paying teller and also attorney for the firm in the New 
York Stock Board. Started in company with his father, under the firm 
name of D. S. Swan & Son, in 1866, in the Fire Insurance Agency 
business, which he has continued to the present. The senior member 
of the firm died in 1874. Mr. Swan was paymaster of the 2nd Bat". 
Mass. Light Art., and is now mustering officer and paymaster of the 
I St Bat. Light Art. A director of Bay State National Bank. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 1 27 

In the year 1854, the Hampshire Street School House, called in 
the late School Reports, the Pine Street House, and the Franklin 
Street School House were built. 

In the year 1856, the small one-story School House, which, at the 
commencement of Lawrence was found at what is now the junction 
of Prospect and East Haverhill Streets, and which had been several 
times repaired and improved, gave place to a two story School House 
of a similar plan with the other wooden School Houses in the city, 
and the one story house on Oak Street was converted into a two 
story house, furnishing four rooms for one middle, and three graded 
primary schools, and this same year an addition of a second room 
for the primary school was made in the Amesbury Street house. 

In i860, the Grammar School House on the South Side was moved 
to the spot which it now occupies, and a large addition made to it, 
so that for a time the primary, middle and grammar schools of that 
part of the town were accommodated in that one building. 

In 1 86 1, a two story School House of wood was built at the corner 
of lyowell and Margin Streets, at the foot of Tower Hill, and the 
Pine Grove house was removed from the summit to the southern base 
of the hill for the accommodation of the primary school children 
between the hill and the river. 

In 1862, the School House at the intersection of Methuen and 
Newbury Streets was built, the only addition made to the School 
Houses that year. 

The School Committee, when pressed above measure for room to 
furnish sittings to the children clamoring for admission to the schools, 
have resorted to the religious societies for their lecture rooms and 
vestries, and oftentimes with no little inconvenience to themselves, 
those societies have allowed their use. Schools have been kept in 
the Free Will Baptist, the First Baptist, the Lawrence Street Congre- 
gational, the Central Congregational, the Unitarian and the Presby- 
terian societies. 



128 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL 

In May, iS66, the following preamble and resolution were adopted 
by the School Committee. 

JV/wreas, The present accommodations of the Oliver Grammar 
School building are insufficient to meet the wants of the school, and 
whereas the room now occupied by the Oliver High School is much 
needed for the Oliver Grammar School, therefore 

Resolved, That this Board would respectfully recommend t' at the 
City Council take measures to secure a new building for the Oliver 
High School, at as early a day as is practicable." 

In the year 1865, under Hon. Milton Bonney as Mayor, the City 
Government, in anticipation of this necessity, with prudent foresight, 
secured suitable grounds for the erection of such a building, and the 
City Government of 1866, under Hon. Pardon Armington as Mayor, 
obtained plans, contracted for and commenced the erection of such 
a building as shall meet the present and prospective wants of the 
school. 

In the early part of the year 1S67, anticipating the removal of the 
High School to the house designed for its use, alterations were made 
in the Oliver Grammar School House for the better accommodation 
of its ])upils. As a commodious hall was to be provided in the High 
School building, which couldfije used by the (irammar School at its 
annual exhibitions, the hall of the Grammar School building was 
divided into three rooms, one, a large room capable of seating half 
of the school for general exercises in music, etc., and two other 
rooms of the same size as in other parts of the building for the use of 
a division of the school or a section of a division. In the summer 
vacation, the front portion of the building was raised one story so as 
to bring it to the same elevation with the transverse portion, and 
there was built a spacious and most convenient stairway, with ample 
clothes rooms for the scholars of each school room. There are now 
in the Oliver School House sixteen rooms occupied by classes, and 
the large room, which can seat comfortably four hundred children. 




ALBERT FERNANDO COLBURN, 



Stationer and Newsdealer, (Colburn Bros.) 281 Essex St. ; residence, 
23 Orchard St. Has been in Lawrence twenty-nine years. Born in 
Dracut, near Lowell, October 8, 1834. Attended the grammar school 
under the principalship of George A. Walton, afterwards entering the 
employ of Bean & Whittier, furniture dealers, and continuing in that 
business until the firm of Colburn Bro's was formed in 1873. For a 
number of years Mr. Colburn took an active part in politics, and was 
a member of the city council from Ward I, in 1867. He was also a 
member of the fire department for a number of years, prior to the 
advent of steamers, and was captain of Niagara Engine Co., No. 2, at 
the time of the disbanding of the hand engine companies. He is at 
present an active member of numerous secret societies, and is also a 
member of the Universalist society. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 1 29 

The building will allow of eight hundred and forty scholars, and is, 
in the arrangement of its rooms, its spacious and safe stairways, its 
commodious clothes rooms, indeed in all of its interior arrangements, 
a house which is not equalled, certainly not excelled, by any in the 
State. 

From this general review of our schools, we now speak particularly 
of the High School. 

In 1848, in the second year of the municipal organization, meas- 
ures were adopted for the establishment of a High School. In No- 
vember of that year. Gen. Oliver made a donation of valuable 
philosophical and astronomical apparatus for its use. 

January 17th, 1849, Mr. Thomes T. Curtis was elected teacher of 
the High School, and January 31st, seventeen were admitted to 
membership in the school. 

September 2d, 1850, twenty-two scholars were admitted, and Octo- 
ber 24th Miss Sarah B. Hooker was elected assistant. 

July, 1857, Mr. Curtis resigned the office of Principal, much to the 
regret of the committee, and for the remaining four weeks of the 
term Rev. Henry F. Harrington kindly officiated in his place. 

September, 185 1, Mr. C. J. Pennel, whom the committee had elected 
to the office of Principal, entered upon his duties, with Miss Hooker 
as assistant. 

January 21st, 1852, Miss Hooker resigned her position, a step, as 
the school report says, deeply lamented by the committee and the 
school, with the parents of the scholars, and the many who had wit- 
nessed her peculiar aptness in teaching. The committee very fortu- 
nately obtained the temporary services of Miss Jane S. Gerrish, who 
was very soon elected as assistant, an office which she retained 21 
years with the highest credit to herself, and to the entire satisfac- 
tion of successive committees. 

In July, 1853, Mr. Pennel, to the regret of the committee, resigned 
the Principalship of the school, to take a professorship in Antioch 



1 30 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL 

College, Ohio, and Mr. Samuel J. Pike, then a tutor in Bowdoin Col- 
lege, Maine, was elected to the position, and entered upon his duties 
in September. 

A louder call being made to Mr. Pike from the school ' jmmittee 
of Somerville, he resigned his position soon after the commencement 
of the Fall term of 1856. His three years of service were faithfully 
and acceptably passed. 

In June, 1856, Miss Harriet C. Hovey was elected as second assis- 
tant, and in this same month Gen. Oliver generously donated to the 
school department, for the benefit of the High School, a fine engrav- 
ing of the Landing of the Pilgrims, and also one of the Battle of 
Bunker Hill, together with busts of Cicero, Demosthenes, Socrates, 
Plato, Franklin and Washington, and statuettes of Galileo, Bowditch, 
Dante, Goethe, Schiller, Tasso, Ariosto and Petrarch. They have 
adorned the walls of the High School room in the OHver School 
House, and at the donor's retjuest they have been transferred to the 
school room of the new building. 

For a few months after the withdrawal of Mr. Pike, the position of 
Principal was filled by Mr. Wm. H. Farrar, and May 2d, 1857, Mr. 
William J. Rolfe was elected to the office. After a service of four 
and a half years, on August 27th, 1861, he tendered his resignation, 
which was reluctantly accepted by the committee, with the following 
resolution : 

Resolved, That the School Committee of Lawrence hereby express 
their just appreciation of the diligence and fidelity of Mr. Rolfe, dur- 
ing his connection with the Oliver High School as Principal, of his 
mode of instruction, well adapted to awaken a spirit of inquiry and 
research, and of the high standard to which his labors have con- 
tributed so largely to raise the school ; and that we hereby commend 
him to others as a thorough and critical scholar and an excellent 
instructor. 



PRESCOrr GROSVENOR PILLSBURY, 

Cashier of Lawrence National Bank, Brechin Block, corner of Broad- 
way and Essex St. Has been in Lawrence ten years. Was born in 
Newbnryport, Mass., June 13, 1846. He removed in early youth to 
Haverhill and was educated in the public schools of that city. Vestry- 
man at Grace I^i)iscopal church. Spent one year in the counting 
room of Gooding «S: Johnson, Haverhill ; was for four years clerk and 
teller in the First National Bank in Haverhill. Came to Lawrence in 
1868, entering the Bay State National Bank, in which he served four 
years as teller ; was appointed cashier of the Lawrence National Bank, 
upon its organization in 1872 ; is one of the trustees of the Broadway 
Savings Bank. Api)ointed justice of the peace by Gov. Washburne in 
1873. Mr. Pillsbury was a member of the common council from 
Ward HI, for the years 1875-6. 



HISTORY OV LAWRENCE, MASS. 131 

For three months succeeding Mr. Rolfe's resignation, the commit- 
tee were enabled to secure the services of Mr. Thomas G. Valpey, a 
highly competent instructor in another institution then in vacation. 
December ist, 1861, Mr. Henry L. Boltwood, who had been elected 
to the ofifice of Principal, entered upon his duties. 

May 8th, 1863, Miss Hovey, after seven years cheerful and faithful 
labor, resigned the situation of assistant, which was filled by the 
election of Miss Marcia Packard. In June of that year Mr. Bolt- 
wood resigned his situation, which was temporarily filled by Mr. I. H. 
Ward from the Theological school at Andover. 

At a meeting of the committee, held August 5th, 1863, Mr. Albert 
C. Perkins was elected Principal, and he entered upon his duties 
September 7th. 

No change occurred in principal till the year 1873, when Albert C. 
Perkins tendered his resignation to accept the position of principal 
of Phillips Exeter Academy. During his ten years' service in the 
High School he did much to raise its standard and was in every re- 
spect a most thorough disciplinarian. The same year Miss Packard 
and Miss Gerrish resigned. Mr. Charles T. Lazelle succeeded as 
principal and Miss Alice Birtwell and Miss Alice Carter as assistants. 
In 1872 Mr. Herbert S. Rice was employed as Teacher of Drawing, 
a position which he filled acceptably for nearly five years. 

In 1875 Mr. Horace E. Bartlett was called to the principalship — a 
position he now occupies. The teachers of the High School the 
present year are Horace E. Bartlett, Parker P. Simmons, Mary A. 
Newell, Emily G. Wetherbee, Alice Birtwell, Ada Leah, Katharine A. 
O'Keeffe. 

The masters of the Oliver School following Mr. Walton were James 
H. Eaton, John L. Brewster, James Barrell, and the present master. 
Park S. Warren. 

The South Lawrence male teachers have been Mr. Ayer in 1848, 



132 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL 

Mr. Tenney, J. B. Fairfield, W. Fisk Gile, John Orne, J. Henry Root, 
J. K. Cole, and the present Grammar master, Edward P. Shute. 
Ayer and Tenney taught in the School House on the Lowell road. 
Mr. Fairfield taught from January 1851 till some time in 1858 in a 
building that stood where Mr. A. D. Swan's residence now stands. 
W. Fisk Gile taught in the same place, and also Mr. Orne. The 
School was then transferred to where the Saunders School now is. 
Mr. Root taught in the new building. Mr. Cole began there and 
went to the present Packard School building when it was completed. 
Mr. Cole taught longer than any other male teacher there. 

In 1869 the Cross Street School House was repaired and enlarged, 
and a new school house built at the corner of Woodland and Pleasant 
streets. In 1870 the Oak Street house was completed. In 1872 the 
brick School House, dedicated as the Packard School was completed. 
In 1873 the Woodland Street School House was enlarged to three 
times its former capacity, and a new brick School House containing four 
large rooms built on East Elm Street, and when dedicated the follow- 
ing season was named the Harrington School. In 1875 ^^^ Frank- 
lin Street School House was enlarged, a new house built on Hancock 
Street, and the substantial brick house on Washington Street com- 
menced, which was completed the following year. 

In 1876 a new building was erected in Ward Six, corner of Union 
and Andover Streets, and in 1877 the Franklin Street School House 
was enlarged to admit of four Schools. 

The School Superintendents of Lawrence have been : John A. 
Goodwin from 1853 to 1854; Henry F. Harrington, 1854-55 ; Geo. 
Packard, 1855-56 ;, and 1859-61 ; A. Williams, 1856-7 ; Henry K. 
Oliver, 1857-9; Joseph L. Partridge, 1861-64; John R. Rolhns, 
January to June in the year 1864 ', Gilbert E. Hood, June, 1864, to 
January, 1877; Harrison Hume began January i, 1877, and is still 
in office. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 



133 



The following table will show the comparative increase of School 
children since the beginning of the city : 

1845. 

i847> 

1848, . . . ... 900 

1849, 1.527 

1850, 1,470 

1851, 1,709 



40 
800 



1852, 

1853, 
1854, 

1855, 
1856, 



1,650 
1,869 
2,167 
^,518 
2,792 



1857, 3,022 

1858, 2,610 

1859, 2,702 

1S60, 3,171 

1861, 3,210 



1862, 3,310 

1863, 3,384 

1864, 3,495 

1865, 3,613 

1866, 4,026 

1867, 4,432 

1868, 4,359 



1869, 
1870, 
1871, 
1872, 

1873, 
1874, 

1875, 
1876, 



4,665 
4,846 
4,856 
4,847 
5,141 
5,385 
5,648 
5,634 



1877, 6,088 



XI. 
THE COURTS.— PUBLIC LIBRARY. 



Along with the wheat cometh the tares. And so it was with the 
first comers to the new city. Violent and wicked men had to be re- 
strained and punished. Town governments in their administration 
of justice were too slow -going coaches to take care of victims that 
which had to be confined in lockups from night to night. Therefore 
early as 1848, a Police Court was organized and Judge Williarrf 
Stevens of North Andover, was appointed Judge. This well remem- 
bered man occupied the bench from that year, 1848,10 1877, when 
he resigned on account of loss of eye sight. During his term the 
following gentlemen were consecutively clerks : Wm. H. P. Wright, 
Edgar J. Sherman, Henry L. Sherman, Charles E. Briggs, Jesse G. 
Gould, and H. F. Hopkins, the latter who still fills the position, hav- 
ing been recorder there since 1874. 

After Judge Stevens retired the place was filled for about a year by 
associate Justice, W. H. P. Wright, when Judge N. W. Harmon 
received the appointment of Judge and assumed the duties May 
I St, 1877. 

On the 4th of January, 1878, Judge Stevens was stricken by apo- 
plexy and died in a few hours. He was buried in North Andover, a 

134 



QUARTER-CENTENNrAL HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 



135 



committee of the Lawrence bar being chosen to attend his funeral. 
On the next return day, January 2 2d, appropriate resolutions were 
presented in the Police Court and entered on the records. Ad- 




JUDGE WM. STEVENS. 

dresses were made by District Attorney Sherman, A. C. Stone, C. U. 
Bell, W. L. Thompson, W. S. Knox, A. R. Sanborn, E. T. Burley, W. 
J. Quinn, and Judge N. W. Harmon. The present associate justices 
are W. Fisk Gile and C. U. Bell. 

The Supreme Court has no session here. The Superior Court 
holds civil and criminal sessions. 



PUBLIC LIBRARY. 

The history of the Free Pubhc Library of this city dates in one 
sense from the beginning of the town. The Franklin Library Asso- 
ciation was chartered by the Legislature of 1847, and in July of that 



136 QUARTER-CENTENXIAL 

year Hon. Abbott Lawrence gave to the library the sum of one thou- 
sand dollars for the purchase of "such scientific and other works as 
will tend to create good mechanics, good christians and good pat- 
riots." Captain Charles H. Bigelow was the first President of the 
Association. In 1847 Mr. Lawrence died. He left by his will $5000 
more for the Franklin Library. The price of shares was ten dollars, 
with an annual assessment of two dollars, and on these terms the 
library was open to apybody. Finding the price of the shares too 
high, the Association lowered the terms in 1853 to five dollars, and 
the assessment to one dollar, and in 1857 the library was thrown 
open to anybody who was willing to pay one dollar for its privileges. 
Even this small sum proved a barrier, and in 1868 the library was 
offered to the City Government to be used as a Public Library, 
but the offer was declined. In 1852, Hon. Daniel A. White, of 
Salem, left a fund, the income of which should be appropriated to a 
course of Lectures free to the industrial classes of Lawrence and for 
the inirposes of a library. The White Fund Lectures are the result 
of that liberal bequest, and the rest of the income has materially 
aided the library. In 1872 the Association again offered their 4000 
volumes and nearly $3000 to the city for a Free Library, and this 
time the offer was accepted, the trustees of the White Fund also pro- 
posing to contribute $1000 the first year and an annual sum after- 
ward. July 2d, 1S72, the Council established the Free Public Li- 
brary of Lawrence. Shortly afterward the Agricultural Library, an 
association of Lawrence and Methuen gentlemen, transferred their 
books to the city library through the instrumentality of John C. Dow. 
August 29th, the trustees chose William I. Fletcher, Librarian. Mr. 
Fletcher resigned in March, 1874, and the present Librarian, Frederic 
H. Hedge, Jr., took charge of the library May i6th, 1874. The 
whole number of volumes in the library at this writing, including 
duplicates, is 18,000, exclusive of duplicates, 16,400. 




NATHAN W. nixr^mON, 

Judge of Police Court ; ofifice at Police Court Building ; residence, 349 
Haverhill St. Born in New Ashford, this State, 18 13. Read law 
with the late Judge Byington, commencing practice in 1838 at 
Lanesboro and Adams, where he remained nine years. Was at one 
time law-partner with the late Ex-Gov. Briggs. Came to Lawrence 
June nth, 1847. Judge Harmon has held numerous city offices, and 
has been a member of the school committee under town and city organ- 
ization. Was in the lower house of legislature, 1857, in the senate, 
1873, and commissioner under the bankrupt law of 1841. He has 
been a director of the Essex Savings Bank from the first. Appointed 
assistant assessor of Internal revenue in 1862, holding the position 
nine years. Was appointed judge, May 8th, 1877. Married Cornelia 
C. Briggs, 1841 ; has four children. 



XII. 

WATER WORKS— FIRE DEPARTMENT— NAV- 
IGATION. 



The Legislature of 1848 incorporated John Tenney, of Methuen, 
Alfred Kittredge, of Haverhill, and Daniel Saunders of Lawrence, 
and their associates, as the Lawrence Aqueduct Company, with a 
capital of ^5 0,000, empowering them to take water from Hackett's 
pond in Andover, and convey it for distribution and use in Lawrence. 
The scheme was found to be impracticable and abandoned. The 
subject of a water supply continued to be more or less agitated, but 
nothing was done till 187 1, when a number of citizens petitioned the 
City Council to take some steps to provide the city with a supply of 
pure water. The petition received favorable action, and Mayor S. B. 
W. Davis, Alderman James Payne, and President A. C. Stone, H. J. 
Couch, and Cyrus Williams of the Common Council were appointed 
a committee to make investigation of the subject matter, have the 
results arrived at recorded for the benefit of a future city government. 
The committee visited Lowell and Providence, made extended in- 
quiries and decided that the water supply of Lawrence must either 
come from Raggett's Pond, North Andover Pond, Policy Pond in 
New Hampshire, or the Merrimac River, and the committee unhesi- 
tatingly recommended the latter. 

137 



138 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL 

In 1872 an act was obtained from the Legislature authorizing the 
city to take water from the river at any point in Lawrence or Me- 
thuen, and convey it through pipes into and about the city. The 
act was submitted to the voters of LawTcnce, and was accepted by a 
vote of 1298 to 830, wards one and six giving majorities against it. 
A joint special committee on water was appointed from the City 
Government, consisting of Aldermen James Payne and James A. 
Treat, and President L. D. Sargent, H. J. Couch and George W. 
Russell from the Common Council to obtain surveys, plans and esti- 
mates of the cost of works needed to furnish the city with a suitable 
supply of pure water. This committee was allowed $8000 or less. 
Mr. Payne was made Chairman of the Committee. Mr. L. F. Rice 
of Boston, was engaged to make a preliminary survey. The com- 
mittee reported that the advantages of the Merrimac for a water 
supply were so obvious that the passage of an ordinance creating a 
Board of Water Commissioners was warmly recommended. 

In April 1873, Mayor Tarbox ai:)proved an ordinance creating a 
Board of Water Commissioners, and on the 8th of May, Wm. Bar- 
bour, Patrick Murphy, and Morris Knowles were created Water 
Commissioners. Mr. Barbour was made Chairman and Mr. Murphy 
Secretary. The Commissioners gave their attention as to the best 
system of distribution. The Holly or direct system had many friends 
and gave much satisfaction. The Commissioners finally decided to 
combine the Holly system and the Reservoir system, the former for 
fire purposes, and the latter for all general purposes of supply. \Val- 
ter F. McConnell, of Boston, was engaged as Chief Engineer, and 
Baldwin Coolidge and Charles H. Littlefield as Assistants. James P. 
Kirkwood, of Brooklyn, was engaged as Consulting Engineer. Sur- 
veys were at once begun on the farm of Samuel Ames, where the 
Pumping Station and Filter Galleries are located, and on Bodwell's 
Hill where is the Reservoir. 




MOULTON BATCHELDER, 



City Marshal ; office at Police Station. Residence, i8 Bradford St. 
Has been in Lawrence twenty-two years. Born at Plainfield, Vt., 
Dec. 7, 1836 ; has one child. His early life was spent upon a farm. 
For six years prior to 1862 he was watchman at the Washington Mills, 
at which time he enlisted in Co. C, 40th Mass. Reg't. Commissioned 
first-lieutenant in the 6th Reg't in 1864. Returned to Lawrence and 
was appointed on the police force, serving in various positions until 
1873, when for two years he was keeper at the house of correction in 
this city. In 1875 was assistant marshal till July, when he was ap- 
pointed marshal. Was marshal in 1876 day officer in 1877, and was 
again appointed marshal in 1878. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 1 39 

The lowest bid for constructing the reservoir was from J. B. Dacey 
& Co. of Boston, and Patrick Kiernan of Chelsea, and they were given 
the contract, breaking ground November 12th, 1873. But little was 
done that winter, but in the March following work was resumed. The 
contract called for the completion of the reservoir by the first day of 
October, 1875, ^^^ ^^ ^^'^^^ ^°^ quite completed at that time. 

The water is pumped from the river by two of I. P. Morris & Co's 
engines, and is discharged into a force main thirty inches in diameter 
laid in the center of Ames street, extending to the reservoir, a distance 
of five thousand feet. Emery's Hill was tunnelled for a distance of 
900 feet, the north end of the tunnel being a few feet south of Lowell 
street. The tunnel is six feet high, seven feet wide, egg shaped, with 
flattened bottom, and is built of hard burned brick laid in hydraulic 
cement, with a well or man-hole at either end to give free access, and 
to enable pipe to be lowered, should repairs be necessary. The force 
main is carried across Haverhill street just east of the house of Asa 
M. Bodwell, and enters the reservoir bank at the northwest corner. 
It goes through this bank to a point opposite the centre of the mid- 
dle bank, where it turns and is carried along the middle bank to the 
overfall where it is turned upwards and the water is discharged, the 
stream being turned at will into either basin of the Reservoir. The 
Reservoir is of rectangular form, 730 feet long and 411 feet wide, and 
has a total capacity of 40,000,000 gallons when full. It is twenty- 
five feet deep. Each basin is 263 feet by 300 feet, measured on the 
bottom on the line of the skewbacks. 

The street mains are all of cast iron pipe, and range from six to 
thirty inches in diameter. The main line of distribution is in Ha- 
verhill street, where a thirty inch pipe is laid to Broadway, then a 
twenty-four inch pipe to Hampshire street, and thence one of twenty 
inches to the Common, where it is still further reduced to sixteen 
inches, and at Jackson street the pipe is further reduced to twelve 



140 QUARTER-CEXTENNIAL 

inches as far as the Spicket Bridge, where a ten inch pipe is used in 
Beach street till it meets the ten inch main in Prospect street. This 
is the main line of distribution, but there is another by which the 
water may be taken from the Reservoir through Ames, Canal, Water 
and Lawrence streets. 

Besides the duplicate Reservoir distribution, the plan of direct 
pumping is added as a perfect guaranty of unbroken water supply, 
and for the purpose of extinguishing fires. The latter feature, how- 
ever, has not as yet been tested. It is not known at this writing 
whether the mains would bear the strain of forcing water through 
them directly from the pumps with a pressure supplied for fire pur- 
poses, though the Reservoir pressure alone is sufficient in most places 
to enable the fire department to do good service with hose directly 
attached to the hydrants ; in the future they will be more fully devel- 
oped. The Lowry hydrant is in use. It is a flush hydrant, and is 
set, wherever practicable, in the streets directly over the main, and in 
fact is a part of the main. The salaries of the commissioner who 
put in the works and the pay of the inspectors, laborers, engineers and 
staff amounted to $63,128.54; travelling expenses, $4,264.41 ; cost 
of distributing reservoir, $275,151.44 ; pumping station, $161,923.30 ; 
engines and boilers, $116,851.51 ; pipe laying, $76,480.17 ; pipes, etc., 
$374,558.23; tunnel, $22,357.88; furniture, rent, etc., $1,998.78; 
engineers' instruments, $1,462.71 ; legal e.xpenses, $585.00; station- 
ery, $506.60 ; drawing materials, $502.22 ; printing and advertising, 
$1,449.89; house services, $10,191.02; land damages, $27,000; 
general construction, $20,940.05 ; maintenance, $4,719.34. Some 
unpaid bills swelled the total cosi to $1,192,967.84. 

May 9th, the term of office of the commissioners expired and they 
made a final report to the City Council. The care of the works is 
now vested in a Water Board consisting of Milton Bonney, President, 
R. H. Tewksbury, N. P. H. Melvin, Albert R. Field, David T. Porter. 
The Superintendent is Henry W. Rogers, Registrar, Geo. A. Durrell. 




WILLIAM E. HEALD, 

Chief Engineer of Lawrence Fire Department ; office at Washington 5 
Engine House, Lowell St. ; residence, No. 330 Haverhill St. Born at 
Temple, N. H.,1839. Has resided in Lawrence since i860. Learned 
the bottling business at Lynn, where he worked during 1855 and 1856. 
Worked in Salem at the same business during 1857, 1858 and 1859. 
Carried on the bottling business in Lawrence from i860 to 1877, under 
the firm name of Wm. E. Heald & Co., 34 Hampshire St. Married 
Lucinda A. Jordan of Waltham, Me., in 1865 ; has one child. Joined 
the fire department in 1861 ; was assistant foreman several years and 
was upon the board of fire engineers in 1873, 1874, 1875, 1876 and 
the present year. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 141 

At this writing there have been laid about 2,500 service pipes. 
The number of water takers on the first of January last was 5,739. 
The corporations comprising the Lawrence Reservoir Association are 
supplied with city water at sixty dollars per million gallons. The 
bonded water debt of Lawrence is $1,300,000, and it is hoped that 
in a few years the number of takers will have become so much in- 
creased, and the cost of maintenance reduced so that the water 
works will become self-sustaining. Even if it should not quite do 
this, the citizens have abundant cause for congratulation that they 
have a generous supply of pure water. 

FIRE DEPARTMENT. 

Two employes of the Merrimac Machine Shop, Thomas Scott and 
N. S. Bean, were foremost in giving to the world the steam fire engine. 
It took some time for the public to find out the merit of the inven- 
tion, but this was discovered at last and gladly accepted. The first 
one built here was called the Lawrence, and this was purchased by 
the city of Boston. The Amoskeag Company bought the invention, 
and the machines of that company are now too well known to need 
mention. 

The first fire engine in use in Lawrence was the Essex, bought by 
the Essex Company, and manned by workmen in their employ, Mr. 
Henry Goodell foreman. The Essex was soon followed by machines 
of larger capacity, and by hose and hook and ladder companies, until 
at the introduction of the steam fire engine, the department was well 
equipped. In 1866 the city had four engines, with 6000 feet of hose. 
The department has now five steam fire engines, and one hook and 
ladder company. Each company has a separate hose carriage in- 
stead of having its hose pulled along behind as formerly. The water 
works now enable the department to do good service with hose 
directly attached to tlie hydrants. The pumping system is intended 
to give force enough to largely dispense with the engines, but this has 



142 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 

not yet been effected. When the pipes have been subjected to pres- 
sure to see if they will bear the necessary force, this feature of the 
water works will be utilized. The pressure, however, from the reser- 
voir alone is found useful. The fire engineers for 1S78 are Wm. E. 
Heald, Albert Emerson and J. B. Campbell. 

July 31st, 1869, was completed the Fire Alarm Telegraph. It was 
erected by Mr. Stevens, of Boston, at a cost of SSooo to the city. 
This has added materially to the efficiency of the department. Since 
that time the wires have been considerably extended, and many new 
alarm boxes have been put up to better convenience the people in 
giving prompt alarms. There are at present thirty-two fire alarm 
boxes, and the numbers now range from box 2 to box 51. 

NAVIGATION. 

The year 1877 marked the greatest advance yet made in naviga- 
ting the Merrimac. In June 184S, the steamer Lawrence, Capt. Shep- 
ard, came up from Newburyport with a delegation from that place and 
adjoining towns. Since that time sundry efforts have been made to 
navigate the river, but with little success. Gen. Butler's efforts a few 
years ago to remove obstructions met with some success, and last year 
Mr. E. M. Boynton took hold of the matter with great energy, and 
made a marked advance. Many obstructions were removed, boats 
built for transporting coal, lands leased of the Essex Company for a 
landing place and coal yard, and several thousand tons of coal were 
flelivered in this city direct from Newburyport before winter set in. 

This year there have been numerous drawbacks to the enterprise. 
The channel at Mitchell's Falls proved to be neither deep enough or 
wide enough to guarantee safe transportation and efforts are still being 
made to improve it. Serious doubts are still entertained as regards 
utilizing the river for the carrying of freights, but it is more than prob- 
able that ere long a safe and available route will be opened from this 
city to the sea for the conveyance of passengers and pleasure parties. 




ALBERT EMERSON, 



Blacksmith, 341 Common St.; residence, 61 Tremont St. Has been 
in Lawrence twenty-four years. Was born in Dover, N. H. in 1831. 
Learned his trade and worked in Dover three years. Came to Law- 
rence in 1854 and engaged in business under the firm name of Bry- 
ant & Emerson, the partnership continuing seven years. Mr. Emerson 
has carried on business at his present location since then. Married 
Emeline E. Lord of South Berwick, Me., in 1851 ; has six children. 
Attends the Unitarian church. Was a member of the common council 
in 1 86 1-2, alderman in 1863 and 1867, a member of the board of 
fire engineers in 1869, and is a member of the Board of Engineers the 
present year. 



XITI. 
ORDERS AND SOCIETIES. 



No one thing perhaps shows the hand of human progress more 
than the increase of societies and organizations for the practice of the 
principles of benevolence and charity. Most of these organizations 
are private to the extent of having peculiar signs and grips — trade 
marks to prevent the intrusion of the uninitiated and scandal-mon- 
ger, — but none of them requiring any obligation that in any way con- 
travenes with civil or religious liberty. Among the oldest of these 
are the Free Masons, who claim an antiquity that dates back to the 
days of King Solomon. True, Masonry did exist in the early ages of 
the world. The building of temples required skilled labor. It was 
a branch of industry peculiar to itself. A workman upon these build- 
ings must be familiar with every tool known to the masons' art, hence 
those competent to ply this vocation early found the need of organi- 
zation, for to find continuous employment they must needs migrate 
from state to state and country to country. The organization be- 
came powerful and strong. But nowhere in the records given to pos- 
terity from the earliest date down to the seventeenth century of the 
Christian era is there found any account of a secret organization 
being long in existence and flourishing, that had for a corner stone 
the amelioration of mankind through that heaven born principle. 

143 



XTII. 
ORDERS AND SOCIETIES. 



No one thing perhaps shows the hand of human progress more 
than the increase of societies and organizations for the practice of the 
principles of benevolence and charity. Most of these organizations 
are private to the extent of having peculiar signs and grips — trade 
marks to prevent the intrusion of the uninitiated and scandal-mon- 
ger, — but none of them requiring any obligation that in any way con- 
travenes with civil or religious liberty. Among the oldest of these 
are the Free Masons, who claim an antiquity that dates back to the 
days of King Solomon. True, Masonry did exist in the early ages of 
the world. The building of temples required skilled labor. It was 
a branch of industry peculiar to itself. A workman upon these build- 
ings must be famihar with every tool known to the masons' art, hence 
those competent to ply this vocation early found the need of organi- 
zation, for to find continuous employment they must needs migrate 
from state to state and country to country. The organization be- 
came powerful and strong. But nowhere in the records given to pos- 
terity from the earliest date down to the seventeenth century of the 
Christian era is there found any account of a secret organization 
being long in existence and flourishing, that had for a corner stone 
the amelioration of mankind through that heaven born principle. 

143 



144 QUAKTER-CEXTEXNIAL 

charity. Secret societies, for divers purposes, have flourished to some 
extent in all ages, but as they at present exist the main idea is 
modern. They grow as civihzation, education and rehgion pave the 
\va)'. As superstition gives way to reason men learn more and more 
of that stereotyped phrase "the fatherhood of God and brotherhood 
of man." Societies now take root and grow founded solely upon the 
fraternal side of man's nature. Without contingent or sinking fund, 
they pay thousands of dollars to friends of deceased members with 
even more promptness and certainty than that of ordinary business 
firms. And these fraternal organizations are not alone confined to 
the male portion of society. Women are organizing on an equal 
basis with the men and are paying money into benefit funds, to be 
used in evening up the home comforts of the abodes of sickness and 
death with that of their own. It has long been held that women 
were a failure as organizers, not possessing the requisites by nature. 
But be this as it may they have ever been accredited with a desire to 
know all the secrets, and a little incident connected with the early 
history of our city may be cited here : — 

To Ward Six belongs the honor of convening the first secret society 
meeting held in the city limits. There were a few masons living on the 
original territory, then Andover. This territory had been known for 
a hundred years as the "Moose Country." There were not over a 
dozen buildings in what is now Ward Six. There were the four 
houses that stood on the corner of Broadway and Andover streets, 
viz. : the Webster House, the Saunders house, Plumley house, and 
the house now occupied by Mr. Bunker. 

On the Lowell road, about forty rods west of the Turnpike were 
two houses owned respectively by Mr. Caleb Richardson and Theo- 
dore Poor, and half a mile further west, a few rods apart, the house 
of Theodore Barnard and another dwelling house. A half mile be- 
yond this was the house of Major Benjamin Stevens, and upon the 
road leading to West Andover was the house of Capt. James Stevens- 




n. F. ROBINSON, 

Manufacturer of Machine Card Clothing, 620 P^ssex St. Residence, 
268 Haverhill St. Came to Lawrence in April, 1847. I^o^" ''t Fre- 
mont, N. H., Dec. 1829. Commenced business April, 1857, and has 
continued it until the present time. Married Eliza Ann Norris, 1851 ; 
and has one child. Is connected with the Second Baptist Church, 
and is superintendent of its Sunday School. Was a member of the 
common council in 1866. For many years leader of the Lawrence 
Brass Band. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. I45 

In the extreme southwest part of the ward was the house of Mr. 
Goldsmith, and on a road leading from Frye Village to what is now- 
North Andover, was a house known far and near as the " White Dog 
House," so called from the fact that in early days no rum was allowed 
to be sold in Andover, and to evade the law, the proprietors of this 
house procured two diminutive white lap dogs, and charged for show- 
ing the dogs, throwing the "blackstrap" in. The thirsty very cheer- 
fully paid for seeing the dogs, and tradition has it, that they just as 
cheerfully accepted the accompanying bonus. West of Turnpike, a 
little distance south of the Lowell road, was the Moses Town's house. 
A part of the chambers of this house were used by St. Mathew Lodge 
of Free and Accepted Masons, as a Lodge room, and in order to 
make an ante-room, quilts were hung across the room, thus partition- 
ing it off. Mr. Town's servant girl being like her mother Eve, blessed 
with an inordinate curiosity, one evening secreted herself behind the 
quilts, in order, if possible, to obtain the secrets of the order. In 
this position she was discovered by the Tyler, and it is borne upon 
the archives of the Lodge that the damsel made but three steps from 
her place of concealment to the bottom of the stairs, and she shunned 
the company of Free Masons for ever after. This was the first Ma- 
sonic Lodge room in what is now Lawrence. 

Though women are still precluded from the secrets of Masonry 
the Order ranks first as a secret one, its age if nothing else giving it 
priority. 

Grecian Lodge, the oldest Lodge in the city dates from the 14th of 
December, 1825. It was started in Methuen. In 1838 the charter 
was surrendered, to be re-organized in this city in 1847. The semi- 
centennial was observed in 1875, and the historian was Charles H. 
Littlefield. The present officers are M. M. Chandler, Master ; Chas. 
H. Littlefield, Secretary ; J. R. Simpson, Treasurer. 

Tuscan Lodge commenced work December 29th, 1862. The fol- 
lowing May a charter was granted, and it has continued successful 



1 46 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL 

and prosperous since that time. Wni. Fisher, Master ; Frank O. 
Kendall, Secretary ; Rufus Reed, Treasurer. 

Phoenician Lodge was instituted November 5th, 1870, and has 
been quite successful in making new members. The present officers 
are, Andrew C. Stone, Master ; C. H. Moore, Secretary ; S. M. 
Stedman, Treasurer. 

There are three organized bodies in the higher order of Masonry. 
The Council was chartered in 1868. Mt. Sinai Royal Arch Chapter 
was chartered October, 1867, and Bethany Commandery Knights 
Templar in 1864. The whole number belonging to the Masonic 
Order in the city is over 800. 

ODD FELLOWS. 

Another powerful secret Order is the Odd Fellows. They also 
number in the city about Soo members, having three subordinate 
Lodges and two Encampments. The cardinal principles of the 
Order are Friendship, Love and Truth, and a feature of the benefi- 
ciary part of the Order is that the Lodges pay to sick members 
weekly benefits, not as a charity but as a right, quarterly dues being 
assessed upon the membership to keep the fund good. They take 
the name of Odd Fellows because it was odd at the time the 
Order was started sixty years ago, for men to band themselves to- 
gether for such a work of love. The basis upon which the Indepen- 
dent Order of Odd Fellows is founded is peculiarly American, though 
Orders by the same name have had an existence in the Old World. 
Odd Fellowship was comparatively new in this country in 1845-46, 
though many comers to the new city had been initiated into the 
mystic tie. • 

In 1847 United Brothers Lodge was established, but owing to an 
expose of the work shortly after, and a general distrust about that time 
against all secret societies, for several years few new members were 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 



147 




ODD FELLOWS BUILDING. 



148 QUARTER-CENTENXIAL 

added. Ten years later its beneficent workings became more and 
more visible, old prejudices softened and there has been a steady 
stream of slow but healthy additions ever since. Three years ago 
the members erected the fine building corner of Essex and Lawrence 
streets for their especial use, and it is a monument for the stability 
and strength of the Order. The first story is used for stores, the 
second for the Public Library, and the upper portion for Lodges and 
Encampments. Officers United Brothers Lodge, Thomas Hadfield, 
N. G. ; J. O. Battershill, Secretary : A. H. Poulson, Treasurer. Num- 
of members, 330. 

Monadnock Lodge was instituted in 1867, with fifteen charter 
mcmlx'rs. It has had a prosperous career throughout. A ten years' 
history of this Lodge has been published this season making a hand- 
some volume, compiled by C. B. Smith, a P. G. of the Lodge. The 
officers are Wm. K. Foster, N. G. ; H. M. Chadwick, Secretary ; 
Wm. F. Birtwell, Treasurer. It has 267 members. 

Lawrence Lodge was instituted in 1869. It has had a steady and 
healthy growth since its organization. The officers are James Pat- 
terson, N. G. ; John Edwards, Secretary ; L. H. Benson, Treasurer. 
Membership 201. 

There are two Encampments, higher branches of Odd Fellowship. 
These are the Kearsarge and Lawrence, there being about 200 mem- 
bers in the city that have taken the patriarchal degree. 

The Knights of Pythias is a secret Order having for its object the 
care of sick and distressed brothers, and they also have an additional 
degree, recently adopted, whereby a certain sum, one, two or three 
thousand dollars is ])aid to relatives of deceased members as they 
may elect at the time of taking the degree. Quindaro Lodge has a 
membership of loo, being chartered in 1870. The officers are, 
Amos Southwick, C. C. ; d. H. Robinson, V. C. ; H. F. Hildreth, 
Keeper of Records and Seal. 




WILLIAM WALLACE COLBY, 

Undertaker. Place of business at 286 Common St. ; residence, 254 
Jackson St. Has been in Lawrence since November, 1849. ^^^^ 
born in Eaton, (now Madison) N. H. Received a common school 
education, spending his early life on a farm. Married Elizabeth A. 
F. George, Nov. 26, 1840 ; has nine children. Attends the Free Bap- 
tist church, and has been deacon since 1849. Commenced business 
at Haverhill, manufacturing shoes, 1838- 1849. Came to Lawrence 
in the latter year, and worked at manufacturing sash and blinds for 
several years. Mr. Colby was a member of the common council for 
1864-5. Superintendent of cemetery, 1871-2, and for the past four 
years has been in the furnishing and undertaker's business. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 1 49 

In 1875, Merrimack Lodge, Knights of Honor, was instituted. 
This was the first secret Order that had insurance as a chief pillar. 
Each member in this Order upon taking the third degree is assessed 
a certain sum to assist in forming a benefit fund to be used to the 
extent of paying $2,000 at the death of each member. This fund 
created by all the subordinate Lodges is managed by the Supreme 
Treasurer, who has jurisdiction over the Lodges throughout the coun- 
try. The officers of Merrimack Lodge are T. F. Tucker, Dictator ; 
H. A. Harris, Reporter; N. H. Berry, Treasurer. Membership, 180. 
The plan worked so admirably that a second Lodge of the Knights 
of Honor was instituted in the spring of 1877. I^ was given the 
name of Adelphic Lodge and has at present a membership of 125. 
The Officers are D. M. Spooner, Dictator ; A. C. Curtis, Reporter ; 
C. F. Crocker, Treasurer. 

Another Order of a similar nature was started in this city the pres- 
ent year managing an insurance fund the same as the Knights of 
Honor, known as Knights of the Golden Cross. Women are admit- 
ted on equal terms with males and though a few months since organ- 
ization it has a membership in the city of about 300. The officers 
of Olive Commandery are H. A. Wadsworth, Commander ; A. J. 
French, Treasurer. 

The Royal Arcanum is still another Order that pays $3,000 upon 
the death of any member and the fund is created by assessments 
when the treasury runs low. The officers of Lawrence Council are 
C. A. Metcalf, Commander ; N. H. Berry Treasurer. Members, 100. 

There are also in the city two Lodges of Forresters, two of the 
Ancient Order of Shepherds, one of Orangemen, and several tem- 
perance organizations that are secret to the extent of admitting none 
bnt members to regular meetings, and are founded upon the princi- 
ples of mutual relief and assistance. 



XIV 

MINOR INDUSTRIES— CORPORATE AND IN- 
CORPORATE. 



ARCHIBALD WHEEL COMPAXV. 

This corporation has a history dating from 187 1. It was formed 
for the manufacture of iron hubbed wheels for express, truck and 
team wagons, carts, portable engines, steam fire engines and hose 
carriages, by the Archibald Patent Press Process. These wheels have 
been adopted by the largest and best known manufacturers of wagons 
and steam fire engines in the United States, and also by the govern- 
ment in (luartermaster and ordinance wagons, after years of severe 
and patient trial in competition with all other wheels known. At this 
establishment the lumber is sawed from the log, planed and formed 
into spokes and felloes, and before use, is piled in the store house, 80 
by 60 feet in dimensions, where it is allowed to remain and season 
from eighteen months to two years before put to use. The buildings 
of the company are three in number, the main workshop 100 by 45 
feet, the store-house and boiler-house. The capital stock of the com- 
pany is $60,000, and when run to its fullest capacity the works furnish 
employment to twenty persons. The officers of the corporation are : 
J. C. Hoadley, President ; Hezekiah Plummer, Treasurer ; and E. A. 
Archibald, Superintendent. 




EBEN EDWARDS FOSTER, 



Boot and Shoe Dealer at 26 So. Broadway. Residence, 19 Farnham 
St., South Lawrence. Has been a resident twenty-three years. Born 
in Windham, N. H., Feb. 15, 1S27. His flither being a manufacturer 
of leather and leather goods, JMr. Foster naturally became connected 
at an early age witli the same business, and has followed it nearly all 
his life. Educated in the public schools and academy at Manchester, 
N. H., he early developed mechanical talent, choosing the manufac- 
ture and sale of leather goods; during the war was successful. Has 
a good business record, always paying one hundred cents on a dollar. 
Married Miss M. A. Stearns, Aug. 26, 1849, for his first wife, who died 
in 1876 ; his second wife is Mrs. A. L. Hamilton ;'*has three daughters. 
Is connected with the South Congregational Church. Has been a 
deacon in both the Eliot and Central Congregational ohurches. In 1 866 
built the large manufactory at the corner of Methuen and Franklin Sts., 
letting power for mechanical purposes. 



QUARTER-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 15I 

MCKAY SEWING MACHINE ASSOCIATION. 

This Association was formed in 1864, and purchased the lot of 
land, 45,157 square feet, upon which the manufactory now stands. 
A main building, three stories high, brick, 152 feet long by 40 wide, 
an L, one story in height, 147 by 40 feet, and a fire proof building 
for the preservation of model machines, gauges and special tools, in 
dimensions 17 by 25 feet, were then erected, and operations were 
commenced in 1865. Since that time, the business having steadily 
increased, an additional L, three stories in height and 17 by 25 feet, 
has been erected. The Association new employs 175 workmen in 
the manufacture of McKay sewing machines for shoes, McKay & 
Bigelow heeling machines, McKay metallic fastening standard screw 
machines, Goodyear & McKay sewing machine and McKay channel- 
lers. None of these machines are sold, but are leased upon royalty, 
and their revenue is rapidly increasing. Mr. Thomas Scott is Super- 
intendent of the works. In 1877 the Association disposed of 298 
McKay sewing machines, 149 McKay channelers, 140 McKay & 
Bigelow heeling machines, 79 metallic fastening screw machines, and 
56 Goodyear & McKay sewing machines. 

LAWRENCE GAS COMPANY. 

In 1847 '^^"^6 Bay State and Atlantic Mills and the Essex Company 
were formed into an association and erected suitable buildings for the 
manufacture of gas for their own use. In 1849 the association dis- 
banded, and a stock company, known as the Lawrence Gas Company, 
was formed, and February 14th, 1849, secured an act of incorpora- 
tion. The capital at this time was ^40,000, and the company began 
lighting the streets and introducing their pipes into private residences. 
Gradually since that time the capital has been increased, additional 
buildings erected, and pipes laid until now hardly an accepted street 
in the city which has not a number of street lamps burning gas. The 



152 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL 

capital at the present time is $400,000. There have been laid since 
1849, twenty-nine miles of main pipe, 17 miles of service, and 2100 
metres set. The officers of the corporation are, J. J. Storrow, Presi- 
dent ; Gardner P. Gates, Treasurer ; Geo. D. Cabot, Agent ; A. C- 
Tenney, Clerk. 

RUSSELL PAPER COMPAN'W 

This corporation was organized in April, 1864, with a capital of 
$100,000. Here is manufactured writing, book and manilla papers, 
in all of which the company has been very fortunate, and have 
achieved marked success. The mill property constitutes four large 
buildings with the latest improved machinery. Two hundred and 
fifty persons are employed here, and ten tons of paper, on an aver- 
age, are manufactured daily. The officers are, William A. Russell, 
Treasurer, and George W. Russell, Superintendent. 

FLYER AND SPINDLE WORKS. 

In 1862, what is now known as the Lawrence Flyer and Spindle 
\\'orks were started at the lower enil of the canal. In 1867 a stock 
company was formed with a capital of $50,000, and these works, 
which for five years previous were controlled by private enterprise, 
became the property of a corporation. At present thirty persons are 
employed here in the manufacture of spinning flyers, spindles, spin- 
dle tubes and mill machinery. The officers of the corporation are, 
Joseph P. Battles, Treasurer, and H. P. Chandler, Agent. 

LAVi^RENCE LUMBER COMPANY. 

The Lawrence Lumber Company was incorporated in 1868, with a 
capital of $54,000. The business is the manufacture of wooden 
boxes, and every description and dimension of lumber. Forty per- 
sons are in the employ of this company. This company does more 




JOHN WELLES PORTER, 



Keeper of Livery and Sale Stable, corner of Lawrence and Methuen 
Sts. Residence, 107 Garden St. Has been in Lawrence twenty-eight 
years. Was- born in Lyman, N. H., June 17th, 1833. Married Miss 
Adeline A. Moore of Andover, Mass., Aug. 17th, 1853 ; has one son. 
Attends Grace church. Has been in the stable business since t86o. 
Was a member of the police department under the first city govern- 
ment, and was connected with that department for several years as 
policeman and constable. Was city marshal in '59, '62 and '63, also 
assistant mashal for several years, closing his official service with the 
year 1872. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 1 53 

than a mere local business, sending lumber and building material to 
all parts of the county. The annual business amounts to between 
two and three hundred thousand dollars. The officers are, Morris 
Knowles, President ; Luther Ladd, Treasurer and Agent. 

NATIONAL BANKS. 

Bay State. Incorporated, 1847. Capital, §375,000. George L. 
Davis, President ; Samuel White, Cashier. 

Pembcrton. Incorporated, 1854. Capital, $150,000. L. Sprague, 
President ; J. M. Coburn, Cashier. 

Lazvrence. Incorporated, 1872. Capital, $300,000. A.W.Stearns, 
President ; P. G. Pillsbury, Cashier. 

Pacific. Incorporated, 1877. Capital, $100,000. J. H. Kidder, 
President ; Wm. H. Jaquith, Cashier. 

SAVINGS BANKS. 

Essex. Incorporated, 1847. Joseph Shattuck, President; James 
H. Eaton, Treasurer. 

Lawrence. Incorporated, 1870. Milton Bonney, President : Wm. 
R. Spalding, Treasurer. 

Broadway. Incorporated, 1872. John Fallon, President; Gil- 
bert E. Hood, Treasurer. 

RAILROADS. 

The year 1848 brought Lawrence into direct connection with Bos- 
ton, Lowell and Salem. Finding that there was to be a city here, the 
managers of the Boston and Maine Railroad changed their location 
between Andover and North Andover, running the road round to 
South Lawrence, and on the 28th of February the road ran their pas- 
senger trains across the bridge to the station on the north side of the 
river. July 2d, 1848, the Lowell and Lawrence ran free trains and 



I 5 4 QUARTER-CENTEXXIAL 

earned over 8000 people. The Essex Railroad was opened from 
Lawrence to Salem, September 4th, 1848 ; the Manchester and Law- 
rence road was opened in October, 1849. Last year the Lowell and 
Lawrence Railroad obtained permission of the Railroad Commis- 
sioners to cross the Boston and Maine tracks at grade in South Law- 
rence, and the Mayor and Aldermen granted permission to the road 
to extend its tracks across the river and through the Atlantic yard to 
Essex street. The bridge is now built. The Superior Court having 
enjoined the Lowell and Lawrence road from taking the location of 
the Boston and Maine at South Lawrence to come in on, the Leg- 
islature passed a special act on the request of the Railroad Com- 
missioners to give them permission to adjust the difficulty. 

As the population increased the need of a Horse Railroad grew 
apparent, and in 1867 a single track was laid from Methuen to the 
Paper Mills in Lawrence, Subsequently the line was extended to 
North Andover, and in 1876 the track was laid to South Lawrence. 
The latter proved to be the best of the line, but even to the last there 
were found stockholders who were sure it would not pay. This year 
the company has petitioned the Mayor and Aldermen for permission 
to build a double track in Essex street. The President of the cor- 
poration is Wm. A. Russell ; Treasurer, James H. Eaton. 

Besides the corporate bodies to which Lawrence is indebted largely 
for its growth, there have sprung up within the past twenty-five years 
a number of minor manufactories, controlled by private individuals 
which have added in no small measure to the material prosperity of 
the city. Among these are the following : 

EXPRESSES. 

The first Boston and Lawrence Express was that of Stevens & Ab- 
bott. In July, 1851, Mr. Abbott retired, and the firm was Stevens & 
White, well known as "Sam" White. In March 1852, White retired 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 1 55 

and was followed by J. A. Stevens. In September, 1852, Stevens 
was succeeded by P. B. Putney. In December, 1852, Mr. Putney 
associated with himself J. George, of Concord, N. H., under the firm 
name of Putney & George. The latter had been employed by the 
U. S. and Canada Express and brought with him a good knowledge 
of the business. The firm was dissolved by the death of Mr. George, 
May 5th, 1869. In 1870 the firm of Cogswell & Co., was organized, 
Mr. Cogswell taking Mr. Lewis Saunders as a partner, and the firm 
has since done a large business. In 1859 three horses did the entire 
work of the firm. They now employ about thirteen horses, and 
twenty-five men. 

Messrs. Abbott & Co., also do a thriving express business, running 
between this city and Boston, also to Methuen. The business of this 
office was begun about twenty years ago by W. F. Cooper, being 
succeeded in 187 1 by J. G. Abbott. It requires ten men and five 
horses to do the work. 

E. Davis & Son's Iron Foundry has been operation since 1863. 
The buildings connected with the works are four in number, and 
afford capacity for the employment of thirty persons. 

H. K. Webster & Co.'s Grain Mill was built in 1868, and at present 
employs eight persons. The mill is 1 20 by 30 feet, and connected 
with the mill property are two store houses. The capacity is placed 
at 1200 bushels of meal per day. 

Webster & Dustin, Machinists, have been in business at their pres- 
ent location, Canal street, since October, 1876. They now employ 
twelve persons, and manufacture mill machinery, shafting, pulleys, 
gearing, etc. 

N. W. Farwell & Son's Bleachery is one of the new enterprises 
which have sprung up at South Lawrence during the past year. 
Operations in dyeing and bleaching were commenced January, 1878, 
and at present the works give employment to sixty persons. 



156 yUARTER-CENl-EMMIAL 

The Hosiery Mill, Canal street, until recently run by Carter & Wil- 
son, commenced operations in 1874. Three buildings are connected 
with the works and forty persons employed. The amount of pro- 
duction per day, is on an average, sixty dozen, the value of which is 
estimated at $150. 

Carter & Rolan employ twelve hands in wool sorting and scouring 
for out-of-town dealers. Annually at this establishment half a million 
pounds of wool are handled. 

F. W. McLmathan begun the business of Roll Covering in 1874, 
and at present employs five hands. 

George A. Furguson started in Carriage Manufacture in Lawrence 
in 1867. Recently he erected a large brick building on Methuen 
street, where he now carries on the business anci employs twelve 
tradesmen. 

Edward Page, " the original Belt Manufacturer," is one of the pio- 
neers of Lawrence, starting in business here in 1846. He now 
employs fifteen hands. 

Stedman & Fuller have been in the Card Clothing business for the 
past quarter of a century, and when working to its fullest capacity 
the establishment gives employment to a dozen workmen. 

Berry & Co.'s U. S. Steam Feed, is another of the more recent en- 
terprises. By a lately patented apparatus grain is dried, cooked, and 
ground for feed. Five workmen are employed here. 

The Broadway Cracker Bakery, J. H. Nichols, agent, employs eight 
persons in the manufacture of all kinds of crackers. Two hundred 
barrels of flour are used here monthly. 

James W. Joyce has been engaged in Carriage Manufacture in 
Lawrence for the past twelve years. Twelve persons are employed 
here. 

Butler's File Works have been in operation since 1854, now em- 
ploy fifteen hands, and the productive capacity is 500 dozen files per 
month. 




MARK MANAHAN, 



Grocer, io6 Broadway, corner Salem street; residence corner Salem 
and Carver streets. Came to Lawrence 12 years ago, April 1866. 
Born at Deering, Hillsboro', Co., N. H. Worked on a farm in early 
life and had the advantages of a Common and High School educa- 
tion. Married April 1865, to Emily R. Stiles, of Middleton, Mass. 
Has three children. Attends South Congregational church. Mr. 
Manahan entered into partnership with his brother Harlan D, which 
still continues doing business under the firm name of M. & H. D. 
Manahan. This is the oldest grocery firm now doing business in 
South Lawrence. Was a member of the Common Council in 1869 
and 1870, and at present is a member of the Board of Overseers of 
the Poor. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 



157 



Robinson & Perkins, Card Clothing manufacturers, began business 
in Lawrence in 1857, and now employ a dozen persons. At this 
establishment from 8,000 to 10,000 sides of leather, and from twenty 
to twenty-five tons of wire are used annually. The annual produc- 
tion is from fifty to sixty thousand feet of card clothing. 

Williams & Willson, Machinists, commenced in Lawrence fifteen 
years ago and employ fifteen hands. 

J. E. Watts began in 1874 in the Brass Foundry Business. To 
this he has recently added the manufacture of steam and water regu- 
lators, of which he is the inventor. He furnishes employment to five 
persons. 

The Merrimac Iron Foundry has been operated since 1854, now 
employs fifty hands, and has a productive capacity cf 150 tons of 
castings per month. 

The Lawrence Flour Mills, Davis & Taylor proprietors, grind annu- 
ally about 125,000 bushels of wheat, turning out about 25,000 barrels 
of flour. About 250,000 bushels grains of other varieties are here 
ground annually. The mill has been in operation for ten years, and 
furnishes employment to twelve persons. 

The Berkley Mills were moved to Lawrence in 1873, by Mr. Thos. 
Greenbank, the present owner. They are engaged in the manufac- 
ture of flannels of all grades ; employ seventy-five persons, operate 
2800 spindles and fifty-seven looms, and the productive capacity is 
90,000 yards of flannel per month. Annually 300,000 pounds of 
wool are consumed here. 

Alderman Thomas Clegg began the business of Reed and Loom 
Harness manufacturing in this city in 1852. Recently he has moved 
to the south canal where he has added the manufacture of Leather 
Board to his former business. Twenty-five hands are employed in the 
manufacture of reeds and loom harnesses, and fifteen in the leather 
board department. Upwards of 25,000 reeds and harnesses are pro- 
duced annually at this establishment. 



t 5 8 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL 

B. S. Hale & Son, since 1872 have engaged in the manufacture of 
fish line and patent laid cords at South Lawrence. They now employ 
eighteen hands. 

Samuel Carter employs twelve workmen in jobbing and general 
machinery repairs. He has been in the business in this city since 
1870. 

Butler & Robinson's Yarn Mill has been in operation since 1863. 
At this mill is manufactured worsted yarns. Has 5,000 spindles, four 
sets of cards, five company machines, and 125 hands are employed. 

Josslyn & Webster's Iron Foundry was started about ten years ago. 
Twenty persons are employed here, and upwards of si.Kty tons of 
castings are turned out monthly. Business now at this foundry is 
quite brisk. 

Hayden's Leather Board Mill, formerly operated by George E. 
Davis has now been leased for a term of years by Allen, Jones & Co., 
of Boston, manufacturers of wood paper pulp and leather board. 
The capacity at present is one ton of leather board a day. Ten per- 
sons are now employed here. The mill has been in operation under 
various managements the greater part of the past ten years. 

What is now known as Bacon's Paper Mill was formerly the prop- 
erty of the Lawrence Paper Company. About fifteen years ago it 
was purchased at auction sale by Messrs. James S. Monroe and J. A. 
Bacon, and by this firm operated for five years. Mr. Bacon then 
purchased his partner's right, and rebuilt the mill, adding machinery 
and making other improvements. One hundred and twenty opera- 
tives now manufacture, on an average, 120 tons of paper a month. 
George W. Seaverns is Superintendent of the mills. 

Sprague & Co., Bobbin manufacturers, have been in the business 
since 1862. They employ no hands in the manufacture of bobbins 
and spools used in cotton and wool factories. 

Armington & Simms, dealers and manufacturers of Portable Steam 
Engines. Employ fifty hands. The monthly production is $10,000. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 1 59 

Tower & Hadley's Coffee and Spice Mills, have been in operation 
since 1874. They furnish employment to five hands and do a yearly 
business varying from $40,000 to $50,000. 

Albert Blood, Machinist, has been in business in this city since 
1853. By the purchase of additional facilities his business has been 
greatly increased within the i:)ast few years. He now employs twenty 
hands. 

Beach's Soap Company manufacture extensively the celebrated 
Beach's Washing Soap, doing a large business in the surrounding 
country. Employ twelve hands with a monthly production valued at 
$7,000. 

Sargent's Steam Mill, L. D. Sargent, proprietor. Boxes, mould- 
ings, gutters, and house finish, planning, etc. Employs twenty-three 
hands and produces 200,000 feet monthly. 

T. A. Emmons manufactures Loom Harnesses. Employs sixty 
hands on custom work, fiilling orders for manufacturers in all parts of 
the country. 

James Byrom manufactures Brass Castings of all kinds. Emf)loys 
six hands. 

Moses B. Ames <& Co., Carriage Manufacturers, Lowell street. 
This is the oldest carriage repository in the city. John Gale was the 
original proprietor, Mr. Ames, his successor, engaging with him in 
the business fourteen years ago. Mr. Gale retired about four years 
ago. There are twenty men employed. 

Stanley & Co., Brewers. This firm bought the brewery property 
on Oxford street about six years ago, and since that time have in- 
creased its capacity four or five times. Thirteen men were then 
employed at the establishment, while at present it requires sixty men 
to do the work. The product is stock and present use Ale and Lager 
Beer. 

Allen Wilson, Oak street, has the oldest established bakery in the 
city. Employs twelve hands. 



XV. 
NOTABLE EVENTS, ETC. 



The first calamity worthy of note which happened in the city was 
the accident at the dam on the 12th of October, 1847. At the time 
the accident occurred about 300 feet of the dam on the south side, 
and 100 feet on the north side of the river had been finished, the 
water meanwhile running over the unfinished part. The unfinished 
space was about 500 feet long, and it became necessary to shut out 
the water from this by a coffer dam. The timbers of the coffer dam 
were all in position and braced, as was supposed, securely, and work- 
men were engaged in putting down flash boards. Both Mr. L. M. 
Wright, who had charge of the wood work of the dam, and Captain 
Higelow were present at the time and aiding, in all confidence as to 
the strength of the structure, in putting down plank after plank. In 
an instant that portion of dam upon which they were engaged, rose 
upon the surface of the water, and fifteen men were swept, amid the 
broken timbers, by the rush of the fearful flood upon the rocks twen- 
ty-five feet below. Capt. Bigelow and Mr. Wright were in a scow, 
and this swayed round in the current and passed over the dam. 
Just as she was making the plunge, two men leaped out and saved 
themselves upon that portion of the coffer dam which remained firm. 
Another man leaped from the stern of the boat directly into the fall- 
ing current and escaped unhurt. The end of the scow plunged with 

100 



QUARTER-CENIENNIAL HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. l6l 

terrible force u])on the bed rock, sending its freight of men and tools 
with great velocity in the river. Capt. Bigelow came very near losing 
his life. He was badly injured, and was only saved by the utmost 
exertions of Mr. Wright. Two men were killed, two seriously in- 
jured, and three slightly injured. At the time of this accident every 
nerve was being exerted to raise the water to its proper level to sup- 
ply power to the Bay State Mills, then nearly completed and ready in 
some parts for the machinery. Every person was looking forward to 
this desirable consummation with high hopes of future business, and 
the accident therefore felt as a personal as much as a public calamity. 

The heaviest freshet was in April, 1852, when the highest pitch of 
water was ten feet upon the crest of the dam. This freshet washed 
out the abutment of the bridge and carried away the toll-house on 
the south side of the river. The water, at intervals, reached the 
wood work on the railroad bridge. The alarm in the city in antici- 
pation of an overflow of the wing walls of the dam was very great, 
and so imminent was the danger in the estimation of the engineers 
of the Essex Company, that a train of cars and a large number of 
teams were run night and day in conveying earth for an embankment 
to protect the town. In 1863, the water reached nine feet or within 
one foot of great flood. 

The greatest calamity that has yet befallen Lawrence was the fall 
of the Pemberton Mill. On the loth of January, i860, at thirteen 
minutes before five o'clock in the afternoon, the mill fell without a 
moment's warning. The building was five stories high, eighty-four 
feet wide, and two hundred and eighty feet long. The first story was 
devoted to weaving, the second to carding, the third to spinning, the 
fourth to carding, spinning and drawing-in, and the fifth to dressing, 
warping, spooling, winding and reeling. About seven hundred per- 
sons were at work in the mill when it fell. Mr. Chase, the agent, 
and Mr. Huse, one of the owners, were passing through the spinning 
room when a noise was heard, the mules stopped, and the building 



1 62 QLAKTER-CKNTENNIAI,. 

was seen to be falling. They stepped into a wing, and were saved. 
One hundred persons were killed. .\ large number were more or 
less injured, some of them for life. The scene after the fall was one 
of indescribable horror. Hundreds of men, women and children 
were buried in the ruins. Many of them assured their friends they 
were uninjured but imprisoned by the timbers about them. Others 
were dead or dying. Everybody worked as hard as possible to re- 
lieve the unfortunate ones till nearly ten o'clock at night, when sad- 
dest of all, a lantern broke and set the ruins on fire. In a few 
minutes the entire mass was a sheet of flames. Fourteen are known 
to have i)erished in the burning mass. The cause of the disaster is 
not known, but it is believed that there was a defective iron pillar in 
one of the u])per rooms at the south end of the mill. 

There have been three disturbances of the public peace, two of 
them serious. The first and least important one was the demolition 
of the "Black House," a low resort on Water street, in April, 1847. 
A more serious disturbance took place in 1854 between the Know 
Nothings and the Irish. It was reported that an Oak street Irishman 
had raised the .American flag, union down. The anti-foreigners 
paraded the streets with bands and banners in the evening. On 
Common street, between Jackson and Newbury streets, the opi)Osing 
forces met, when fists, stones, and even pistols were used. Fortu- 
nately, no one was killed though the house of the man who was said 
to have raised the flag was badly damaged. The city subsetjuently 
paid the bill. 

The next and last riotous demonstration thus far. occurred in 1S75. 
on the I 2th of July. On that day, the anniversary of the battle of 
Boyne, was celebrated by the Orangemen of Lawrence by a picnic 
at Laurel Grove, in which they were joined by delegations from 
Lowell, Woburn, and .Arlington. The Orangemen had been to the 
grove, the visiting lodges had been taken to Lowell by the steamer 




CHASE PHILBRICK, 



State Detective. Office, Schaake's Building ; residence,' 138 Broadway. 
Has been in Lawrence since 1863. Born at Sanbornton, N. H. 1823. 
Received a common school education and learned the stone cutter's 
trade, at which he worked till 1861. Was married in 1856 ; has three 
children. F^inlisted as captain, in 1861, in the 15th Mass. Reg't, and 
was promoted to major, May, 1862 ; to lieutenant-colonel, Nov., 1862 ; 
discharged for disability, April, 1863. Was with the Army of the 
Potomac in the Peninsula Campaign and the battles of Ball Bluff, 
Second Bull Run, Anteitam and Fredericksburg. Col. Philbrick was 
City Marshal in 1864, 1865, 1866, 1867, 1868, 1869, 1870, 1872 and 
1873 ; Street Commissioner, 187 1 ; State Constable, 1874 and 1875 ; 
Stale Detective, 1876, 1877 and 1878. 



HISTORY OF LAWRKNCK, MASS. 163 

("ity of Lawrence, and the steamer at five o'clock in the afternoon 
returned to this city with the Orangemen belonging here. At the 
Water street landing several hundred persons were assembled, and 
their jeers and words of derision indicated that there might be trou- 
ble. The Orangemen started down Essex street, not in procession. 
vSome stones were thrown soon after leaving the boat, and near the 
Essex House somebody tore a regalia from one of the picnicers. 
The Orangemen flourished their pistols, and loud talk was heard on 
both sides. The Orangemen who had on their regalias sought shelter 
in the station house, and Mayor Tewksbury was sent for. The latter 
told the crowd that there must be order, and that every man would 
be protected in his rights. Two men hissed the Mayor and were 
arrested. The Mayor started into the streets with an escort of i)olice 
consisting of officers (iammell, Dyson, Floyd and Corliss. Stones 
were thrown, Corliss and Dyson being hit. The Mayor and his escort 
kept on, the crowd growing more and more excited. Somebody in 
the crowd fired a pistol. The officers fired in return. About a 
dozen shots in all were fired. .Arriving at the house of the com- 
mander of the Lodge, J. H. Spinlow, 71 Prospect street, a guard was 
stationed there and no further disturbance took place. Several per- 
sons were slightly injured. Sinc;e that time the Orangemen have 
])araded here, but met with no oj^position. 

THE Cnv's GROWTH. 

Population. 

1 845 ( estimated, ) 1 50 

1855 16,084 

1865 21,723 

1875 34,916 

1878 (estimated,) 39,000 



I 64 QUAR'lER-CENl ENNIAI. 

Valuation. 

1847 52,292,372 

1850 5.577.944 

1855 9>954,04i 

i860 10,586,023 

1865 12,683,273 

1870 17,912,500 

1877 23,902,537 

City Debt. 

1847 515 ,000 

1850 98.325 

1855 137,500 

i860 172.233 

1865 283,450 

1870 413,889 

1875 485,028 

1877 (excluding water loan) 382,585 

THE SIREETS. 

The streets of Lawrence are generally fifty feet wide. Essex street 
is eighty, Broadway sixty-si.x, Canal, Jackson, Appleton, Common 
and Haverhill, from Broadway to Spring street, sixty feet ; Mechanic 
street is only forty feet. The highest elevation between Broadway 
and the Spicket is at the corner of Cross and P'ranklin streets which 
is seventy-five feet above the Essex Company's base line. At the 
corner of Essex and I>awrence streets it is thirty -eight feet above that 
line, and four feet higher than the crest of the dam. 

OLD residents' ASSOCIATION. 

In order to preserve the facts pertaining to the history of Lawrence, 
an Old Residents' Association was formed December 2 2d, 1877, ^"^ 



HISTORY OP^ LAWRENCE, MASS. 1 65 

follows : President, Daniel Saunders ; Vice President, Robert H. 
Tewksbury ; Executive Committee, W. H. P. Wright, William R. 
Pedrick, Nathaniel Ambrose, Nathan W. Harmon, Patrick Sweeney, 
Dr. Aaron Ordway, Mrs. Caroline L. Bartlett, Mrs. Abbie A. Wilcox, 
Mrs. Uretta E. McAllister, Mrs. Caroline E. Fay, Miss Katharine A. 
O'Keeffe, Miss Francis Paul ; Historian, John R. Rollins. 

THE PIONEERS. 

Of the settlers in Lawrence during the early months of its history, 
few remain ; during the first ten years of its existence hardly any one 
came here with a purpose of making it a permanent settlement ; 
its growth from the desert had been so sudden, so mushroom-like ; 
everywhere reigned such supreme disorder and incompleteness that 
it presented few attractions other than the advantages of its busy, 
bustling thrift and business opportunities ; within the past half score 
of years this has changed ; the character and permanence of a city 
established, its growth and future assured, it has become a place of 
homes instead of stopping places, and the former ever shifting char- 
acter of its population is solidified into a permanence and stability 
eminently gratifying. But of the immigrants of 1845 to 1848, very 
few remain ; of a dozen resident i)hysicians in 184S, only three, Drs. 
Wm. D. Lamb, Isaac Tewksbury, and David Dana, now remain here 
in practice, although Dr. Blanchard, for some years absent, has since 
returned, engaging in business pursuits. Of an equal number of 
attorneys, only three, Daniel Saunders, Jr., Thomas .\. Parsons and 
Ivan Stevens, remain, and not a single clergyman ; of the merchants, 
less than a dozen, and of the entire population, not above a hundred 
are now resident in the city. 



XVI. 
LAWRENCE IN THE REBELLION. 



* The first meeting of the City Council, to act upon matters con- 
nected with the war, was a special meeting held April i6th, 1861, at 
which the following preamble and resolutions were adopted : — 

U'/u-iras the President of the United States, in view of the dan- 
gerous Rebellion now existing in several of the Federal States, threat- 
ening alike the security and liberty of our homes, has seen fit to make 
a recpiisition upon the Covernor of this Commonwealth for a certain 
number of troops to assist in quelling said Rebellion ; and as the two 
military companies of Lawrence comprise a portion of the Sixth 
Regiment of militia who, in obedience to said requisition, are now on 
their way to report themselves at headquarters ; therefore be it 

Rcsoh'ed, By the city of Lawrence, that the sum of five thousand 
dollars be, and hereby is, appropriated, to be used in case of need, to 
|)rovide for the wants of those who comprise these companies, or 
their families. 

Five thousand dollars additional were appropriated for the same 
purpose, May i6th, and in October following another aijpro[)riation 
of three thousand dollars was made. 

On the 1 8th of April a petition of Daniel Saunders, Jr., and others, 
was presented to the City Council, asking an ajipropriation for the 

* Schouler's History. 

166 




MELVIN BKAL. 



Mechanic; residence, 213 Broadway. Has been in Lawrence nearly 
twenty-six years. Born at Guilforti, Me., Oct. 31, 1832. Attended 
the common school and worked on a farm until sixteen. Married 
Emily M. Goodhue of Salem, N. H., Nov. 9, 1853 ; has one son. At- 
tends the Universalist church. Left Maine in 1850, going to Pelham, 
N. H., and working at carding and spinning in a woolen mill until 
Oct. 1852, when he came to Lawrence and worked in the Bay State 
Mill as spinner and second hand of spinning till 1856, when he went 
painting, which he followed when not in the army till 1866, when he 
was appointed State Constable, which position he held for nine years. 
Councilman for Ward I, 1866 ; two years assistant and two years chief 
engineer of fire department ; 20 years a fireman. Representative from 
2 1 St District in the legislature, 1878, and was a member of the mili- 
ary committee. Colonel of 6th Regt. M. V. M. For full military 
record see history of regiment. 



QUARTER-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 1 67 

purpose of equipping a regiment of volunteer militia ; and five thou- 
sand dollars were appropriated for that purpose. At the same meet- 
ing the Mayor was requested to cause the national flag to be raised 
upon the flagstaff on Lawrence Common, "there to remain as a per- 
manent evidence of our devotion to our country." April 24th, fif- 
teen hundred dollars were appropriated "for the purchase of flannels 
and other materials asked for by the Ladies' Soldiers' Aid Society of 
Lawrence," to be made into articles for the use of the volunteers. 

On the receipt of the news of the death of Sumner Henry Need- 
ham, who fell in Baltimore on the memorable 19th of .April, and 
whose name has become historical as one of the first martyrs of the 
Rebellion, the following resolutions were passed by both branches of 
the City Government : — 

Resolved, That to the afflicted relatives and friends of the dear 
departed, in this hour of their deep heart grief, we extend our ten- 
derest sympathies ; and, while we would not invade the sanctity of 
their sorrow, his loss to us, as a community, a people, and a nation, 
and the remembrance of the noble patriotism and holy devotion in- 
spiring the mission in which he has fallen, throws upon our hearts the 
same cloud of sadness, and unites our grief to theirs. 

Resolved, That in respect to the memory of the deceased this City 
(jovernment will attend the funeral in a body ; that we invite our 
fellow-citizens generally to join in paying a last tribute of respect to 
the departed, and we recommend the closing of all places of business 
in our city on the occasion of his interment.* 

The city of Lawrence continued its activity in behalf of the great 
cause until the end of the war, making liberal appropriations of 
money to encourage recruiting, and for the payment of State aid to 
the families of volunteers, for which a special agent of the city was 

* Mr. TfvvkBbury, tln^ City Treasurer, writes : " In accordance witli the resolves, the City 
Government atteudefl the funeral in a body, with distinguished State officials, and a count- 
less throng of citizens. He was buried from the City Hall, all business being suspended for 
the time, and Ilie flags displayed at half mast, with general evidence of mourning on every 
hand. A suitable granite monument in tlie Lawrence Cemetery marks the last resting place 
ot the martyr." 



1 68 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL 

placed in charge. Elach company belonging to the city, on its return 
from the front at the close of its term of service, was received 
"with fitting welcome and suitable demonstrations." 

Lawrence furnished two thousand four hundred and ninety-seven 
men for the war, which was a surplus of two hundred and twenty-four 
over and above all demands. Ninety-two were commissoned officers. 
The whole amount of money appropriated and expended by. the 
city on account of the war, exclusive of State aid, was one hundred 
and fifteen thousand six hundred and thirty dollars and ten cents, 
(^115,630.10). 

The amount of money raised by the city during the four years of 
the war for State aid paid to the famihes of volunteers, and which 
was afterwards repaid by the Commonwealth, was as follows : In 
1861, $14,524.05; in 1862, $52,555.52; in 1863, $58,153.48; in 
1864, $45,000.00 ; in 1865, $22,000.00. Total amount, $192,233.05. 

The '•' Ladies' Soldiers' Aid Society " of Lawrence continued their 
patriotic work during the continuance of the war. They held weekly 
meetings in the Common Council room in the City Hall, to make 
under-clothing, bandages, lint, and other articles, for the sick and 
wounded in the hospitals. They also contributed upwards of seven 
thousand dollars in cash, in various practical charities to the soldiers." 

The history of the Sixth Regiment, which is so closely identified 
with this city was one of the most eventful of the war. The first to 
respond to the call for the country's safety, and the first to bleed 
in the mighty struggle. This regiment has the undisputed honor of 
first reaching Washington after the famous fight in Baltimore on the 
19th of April, 1 86 1. 

As early as January 21st of that year the officers of the Sixth Regi- 
ment had authorized Colonel Jones to pledge the service of the 
Regiment to the government. Major B. F. Watson presented the 
resolution. On the 15th of April Gov. Andrew ordered Col. Jones 




SMITH M. DECKER, 



Grocer, 36 Amesbury St. Resides at ;^;^^ Haverhill St. Has been 
in Lawrence 18 years. Born in Swanton, Vt., 1843. Liberally edu- 
cated at Franklin Academy, Vt. Has been in business at the present 
place 1 1 years. Firm name now Decker & Whittier ; first three years 
was Decker & Andrews, the latter retiring on account of ill health. 
Col. Decker enlisted in 1862 in the 13th Vermont Regiment ; commis- 
sioned 2d lieut., 1863. In 1864 enlisted in the 6th Mass. Regiment. 
Served as sergeant, ist lieutenant and captain in Co. K of this regiment. 
July, 1872 was made lieutenant-colonel of the Sixth. Was mustered 
out at the re-organization, and appointed provost-marshal on the staff 
First Brigade. In 1877 was commissioned major of the Sixth Reg't, 
which position he at present holds. 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 169 

to muster his command on Boston Common and proceed to Wash- 
ington. Lawrence furnished two companies, I and F, and Lieut. 
Colonel B. F. Watson. Co. F, the *•^yarren Light Guard," was 
organized March 3d, 1855, and named in honor of General Joseph 
Warren, and Co. I, the "Lawrence Light Infantry," was organized 
in 1S49. Company F was commanded by Capt. B. F. Chadbourne, 
Melvin Beal 2d lieutenant, Thomas J. Cate, 3d lieutenant, Jesse C. 
Silver, 4th lieutenant. Company I was commanded by Capt. John 
John Pickering, ist lieutenant, D. S. Yeaton, 2d lieutenant, A. L. 
Hamilton, 3d lieutenant, E. H. Ellenwood, 4th lieutenant, Eugene J. 
Mason. 

The regiment reached Philadelphia at midnight of the i8th, and 
trouble being feared in their passage through Baltimore, ammunition 
was distributed and orders given to the men that trouble might be 
expected. Baltimore is a city of 200,000 population, and at that 
time more than half of the population were rebels. People not 
acquainted with the railroad accommodations at Baltimore do not 
exactly understand the situation and how the fight came about. The 
cars from Philadelphia enter the city on the north side ; here they 
are detatched from the locomotive and drawn through the city for 
two miles by horses to the Baltimore and Washington depot. The 
train containing the regiment consisted of eleven cars. Seven of 
them were hauled safely through. The remaining four containing 
the band, Co. C, and D, of Lowell, Co. I, of this city, and Co. L, 
of Stoneham, were started shortly after, but the infuriated mob be- 
coming more determined, barricaded the track and would not allow 
them to proceed. These men then left the cars and proceeded to 
cross the city on foot to the depot for ^^'ashington, and it was at this 
time that the troops were fired upon, and one of the first that fell was 
Corporal Sumner H. Needham, of Co. L He was born in Bethel, 
Maine, and had lived in Lawrence about twelve years. A monument 



I 70 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL. 

marks his restin^j place. The monument was erected by the City 
Government. 

The regiment quartered in Washington till May 5th, when it was 
ordered to the Relay House, where it remained till July 2 2d, the ex- . 
piration of the three months for which it was called into action, and 
it was dismissed. The Lawrence companies were welcomed home 
with great enthusiasm, congratulatory speeches, a procession and 
other features characterizing the day. 

The year following, 1862, when the government issued a call for 
nine months' men, the Sixth Regiment was again recruited to help 
fill the quota. Company I was organized from this city with A. L. 
Hamilton as captain, E. H. EUenwood 1st lieutenant, and R. H. Barr 
2d lieutenant. Upon the staff from this city was Melvin Beal, Lieut. 
Colonel. The regiment did duty on the Blackwater and were en- 
gaged in several fights. It was mustered out May 25th, 1862. The 
last active campaign of the Sixth was as one hundred days' men, 
and it was quite monotonous, duty Col. Beal was still Lieutenant 
Colonel. Company K was mustered from Lawrence, with E. J. 
Sherman as captain, Moulton Batchelder ist lieutenant, and John D. 
Emerson 2d lieutenant. The time was spent mostly in forts. 

In the 14th Infantry, commonly known as the Essex County regi- 
ment, Lawrence was represented by two companies, F and K. On 
the staff during the war, there were from this city, Lieut-Col. Levi P. 
Wright, Major Frank A. Rolfe, (killed) and Frank Davis. Company 
F was commanded by Captain Samuel Langmaid, J. W. Kimball ist 
lieutenant, John H. (ilover, 2d. Company K by Captain Frank A. 
Rolfe, Caleb Saunders, ist lieutenant, WiUiam Preston, 2d. On the 
first of January, 1862, it was changed into the First Massachusetts 
Heavy Artillery. Early in April the regiment was required to furnish 
garrison for several forts in Virginia, and August 26th they received 
orders to participate in the battles of Bull Run, but did no fighting 
at that time. They lay on their arms one night. The regiment sub- 




DANIEL F. DOLAN, 

Wool Hat Finisher. Place of business, Methuen. House, 85 Cross 
St. A resident of Lawrence twenty-three years. Born in Ireland, 
March 19th, 1847 ; is not married, and is a Roman Catholic in his 
church connections. Served in the Common Council, from Ward IV, 
in 1874, and was president of the body during that year. Was elected 
commanding officer of Co. I., 6th Reg't M. V. M. in June 1877. and 
commissioned the following month 
company. 



Is at present the Captain of said 



HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 17I 

sequently returned to garrison duty. In May 1864 the regiment 
marched to join the army of the Potomac, and was assigned to 
Tyler's division. Colonel Tannatt commanding. On the 19th, the 
regiment was in a severe engagement in which two officers were 
killed, fifteen wounded, fifty-three men killed, and two hundred and 
ninety-seven wounded, and twenty-seven reported missing. June 3d, 
occurred the battle of Cold Harbor, the regiment being engaged in 
charging on the enemy's works in the morning, and the repulse at 
night. In frequent engagements during the summer, it lost heavily. 
In February 1865, the regiment began active service. On the 25th 
of August, 1865, ^^^'■^ regiment was discharged, having been in service 
four years, one month and twenty-one days. 

In the 26th regiment Companys F and I were recruited in this 
city. Company F was commanded by Captain Annabel, with E. 
Caufy as ist lieutenant, George E. Verrington, 2d. Company I was 
commanded by Captain John Pickering, ist lieutenant Charles E. 
Drew, and Badger 2d. 

In the 41st Infantry, changed to Third Cavalry, was Company B. 

E. L. Noyes, captain, C. T. Batchelder, ist lieutenant, Chas. Stone, 
2d lieutenant. Colonel L. D. Sargent also belonged to this regiment. 

Company C of the 40th regiment was mustered also from this city, 
with Stephen D. Stokes captain, Eugene J. Mason ist lieutenant, J. 

F. Weare 2d lieutenant. 

In the 17th regiment this city was represented by Company I, 
Thomas Weir captain, Michael Burns ist lieutenant. The second 
lieutenant did not belong to this city. 

One company of three years' men were also recruited from this 
city that joined the New York Mozart regiment. 

In the nine months' regiments, two companies were raised in this 
city for the 4th regiment, B and H, B. was commanded by Captain 



172 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL 

E. T. Colby, with Geo. S, Merrill as ist lieutenant, and John K. Tar- 
box as 2d lieutenant. Company H, John R. Rollins captain, J. G. 
Abbott I St lieutenant, and Hiram Robinson 2d. 

In the ninety days men the eighth unattached company was com- 
manded by Captain A. L. Hamilton, with E. H. EUenwood as ist, 
and Fred. G. Tyler as 2d lieutenant. 

What the "boys" endured in the way of suffering and hardships 
while in the army of the rebellion will but a small part ever be told. 
Many were killed, many died of wounds and disease, and many others 
were diseased and maimed for life. The personal history of several 
of them would of itself make a volume. We will briefly follow the 
history of but one and from that the reader can glean something of 
the experience of many who took part in the whole campaign. 
Captain L. N. Duchesney whose portrait is in this book enlisted as a 
private in Company F, Sixth regiment, at the first call "to arms" and 
was with the regiment in its "march through Baltimore." Arriving at 
Washington he was detailed as telegraph operator. Came home and 
was mustered out August 2d, 1S61. Enlisted as private in Company 
H, ist Mass. Cavalry. November 2 2d, was promoted to corporal 
and shortly after to sergeant, and then to orderly ; commissioned 2d 
lieutenant January i6th, 1863; ist lieutenant February i6th, 1864. 
Mustered out April 3d, 1864. Was subsequently commissioned cap- 
tain ist battalion of ist Mass. Cavalry, inj;he 26th New York Cavalry, 
March 1S65, and was stationed on the. frontier at Ogdensburg and 
Champlain. Since the war Captain Duchesney enlisted as private in 
Company C, 6th regiment, M. V. M., May 3d, 18 71. ist lieutenant. 
May 1871. Resigned and discharged Nov. 20th, 1872. Elected 
and commissioned Captain August 23d, 1873, and has held this posi- 
tion since that time. 

The above tells only the bright side. But while in the army earn- 
ing these promotions Captain Duchesney took active parts in the 
following battles. Fredericksburg, Chancellorville, Rapidan Station, 




LAURENCE N. DUCHESNEY, 

Inspector of Customs at the Boston Custom House. Residence, 46 
Lowell St, Lawrence. Eorn in Canada, Sept., 1842. Came to this 
city in 1858. He was employed in the packing room at the Pacific 
Mills until the war of the rebellion broke out. For his army record 
seepages 172, 173 and 174 of this history. Capt. Duchesney has 
been commander of Needham Post, No. 39, G. A. R. His family 
consists of a wife and two children. 



HISTORY OF L.\\VRENX'E, MASS. 173 

Rappahanock Bridge, Stevensburg, Brandy Station, Culpepper, Kelly's 
Ford, Popple Grove Church, Union Mills, Aldie, Secessionville, all in 
Virginia in the Army of the Potomac. He joined the department of 
the South and took part in the battles at French Brook, Raytown, 
Granville, and Chockee River, in East Tennessee. 

At the last fight in Virginia he was taken prisoner of war June 1 7th, 
1863, and taken to Richmond to Libby Prison. While here he was 
selected as a hostage and sentenced to be hung. Put into solitary 
confinement for sixty-nine days and nights, half starved, and expected 
every moment to be taken to the scaffold for execution. At the ex- 
piration of this time he was taken to Salisbury, N. C, and for three 
months with three others were under orders to be shot in retaliation for 
four bushwhackers hung by Burnside in Tennessee. When the au- 
thorities at Washington found out that they were thus sentenced they 
sent word to the "rebs" that if these men were shot the government 
would immediately shoot Gen, Fitzhugh Lee, a son of Gen. Winder, 
and two other noted Southerners who were then prisoners of war held 
by the U. S. government. This caused the sentence to be deferred 
and finally abandoned. He was then taken to be carried to Dan- 
ville, but while on the way he escaped by jumping from the cars 
while in motion about ten o'clock at night. This was twelve miles 
from Greensboro'. Three others escaped at the same time. Captain 
F. M. Driscoll, Third Ohio Infantry, Lieut. Quimby, Ninth New 
Hampshire, and Sergeant Hayes of this city. The latter was cap- 
tured and taken back. These other three wended their way due 
westward, travelling nights and stealing or begging scanty supplies to 
sustain life as the case might be, going 1500 miles through the 
enemy's country, arriving at Knoxville, Tennessee, January 13th, 
1864. \\'hile passing through the mountains Captain Duchesney 
joined himself for a while with bushwhackers and finally with Col. 
Kirk's North Carolina Cavalry, all of whom were engaged in guerrilla 
warfare against the Secessionists. Upon arriving at Knoxville he 



174 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF LAWRENCE, MASS. 

reported to General Green, Provost Marshal, and was at once by 
order of Secretary Stanton sent to Washington and mustered out of 
service, his time having expired. 

THE MILITIA. 

The headquarters of the Sixth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer 
Militia are in this city. Colonel Beal, the commander at the first call 
for soldiers to put down the rebeUion, was a member of the State 
Militia, 2d Lieutenant of Company F, Sixth Regiment. On the 6th 
of May, same year, he was commissioned Captain. When the regi- 
ment was recruited for nine months service in 1862 he was commis- 
sioned Lieutenant Colonel, serving in this capacity during this enhst- 
ment, and the subsequent 100 days' sen'ice. January 30th, 1863, had 
his horse killed at his side in the battle on the Blackwater, and also 
received honorable mention for bravery. Since the close of the war 
Colonel Beal has been the commander of the Sixth Regiment, M. 
V. M. Company I, Captain Daniel F. Dolan, and Company K, 
Captain L. N. Duchesney, of this regiment are located here. Major 
Smith M. Decker, and Adjutant Charles H. Littlefield and pay- 
master L. G. Holt of the Staff also belong to Lawrence. 




TIMOTHY DACEY, 

Hotel Keeper, of firm of T. DaceycKrCo., proprietors of Boston Hotel, 
200 Essex St. Has been in Lawrence since early childhood. Born 
in Clonakilty, Cork Co., Ireland, 1837. Was a member of the com- 
mon council for 1871-2, a member of the ])olice force in 1868, and a 
member of the house of representatives, 1877. Captain Dacey was 
formerly prominently connected with the Fenian movement, and was 
sent in 1865 by the Lawrence Fenian Club to England, where he was 
arrested soon after his arrival. He was released and subsequently ar- 
rested and rescued, several of his rescuers being hung for the offence. 
Enlisted in Co. I, 9th Mass. Reg't, June, 1861 ; promoted to sergeant 
June, 1861, 2nd lieutenant, Sept., 1862, ist lieutenant, April, 1863. 
Was wounded in the " Battle of the Wilderness," May, 1864. Mus- 
tered out June, 1864. Enlisted in Co. I, 6th Reg't, M. V. M., Jan. 
187 1 ; was elected captain in February, same year ; resigned June, 1877. 



XVII. 

THE CITY xMlSSION— CATHOLIC SOCIETIES, 
NEWSPAPERS, ETC. 



LAWRENCE dlV MISSKW. 

In a new city like this, the philanthropic people soon saw the need 
of caring for a certain class, unfortunately destitute, who were not 
and ought not to be classed paupers. Rev. Mr. Harrington of the 
Unitarian church was the first to apply this principle, and in the 
years 1852-3 solicited contributions throughout the parish and acted 
himself as distributing agent. This worked so well that on the 29th 
day of December, 1854, an assembly was convened agreeably to call 
and an association organized called the " Lawrence Provident Asso- 
ciation." The officers elected were, President, John C. Hoadley ; 
Vice Presidents, George Packard and J. D. Herrick ; Treasurer, W. 
D. Lamb ; Secretary, Richard H. Rust, who was at that time pastor 
of the Haverhill street M. E. church. The plan of the work was 
to raise funds by contributions and distribute them through ward 
committees, three from each ward being chosen for that purpose. 
Monthly meetings were held and reports made on the condition of 
the work. January 6th, 1857, George P. Wilson was elected general 
agent and treasurer, but declined the position at that time owing to 
other engagements, and Henry Withington was chosen in his stead. 

175 



176 QUARTER-CENTENNIAL 

At the a?inual meeting in October, 1858, Dr. Packard was elected 
President, N. P. Houghton Secretary, and George P. Wilson General 
Agent and Treasurer, at a salary of $600 per annum. At length it 
was thought that an organization more comprehensive would better 
serve the purposes of the people, and in accordance with the follow- 
ing vote delegates were chosen : 

Voted, That a committee of two from each religious society be 
invited to meet in convention with a committee of two from the 
Provident Association to take into consideration the subject of estab- 
lishing a City Mission. 

Provident Association. — George Packard, AVilliam D. Lamb. 

Grace Church. — James Payne, B. F. Watson. 

La7vrcnce Street Church. — Benjamin Coolidge, Chas. H. Bigelow. 

Central Church. — Daniel Tenney, John Fallon. 

Universalist Church. — Robert Stere, Artemas Harmon. 

Unitarian Church. — Charles S. Storrow, H. K. Oliver. 

Free Baptist Church. — E. M. Tappan, Simeon Briggs. 

First Baptist Church. — S. C. Woodward, A. J. French. 

Presbyterian Church. — John McKay, Mr. Daylish. 

First Methodist Chiij-ch. — Amasa Bryant, N. Ambrose. 

Garden Street Church. — W. F. Evans, David Ambrose. 

Common Street Presbyterian. — J. Hudson, John Clayton. 

Spiritualist. — W. R. Wason, J. C. Bowker. 

The delegates were convened March 23d, 1859, and the Lawrence 
City Mission organized. Dr. Packard was chosen President, and 
Rev. George P. Wilson Missionary. The organization has since con- 
tinued, managed by a board of advice elected and constituted simi- 
lar to the original delegates. Through this agency some $2,500 in 
money and clothing has been collected and distributed annually. 
The salary of the Missionary has been raised by the corporations 
outside of this fund. 




CHARLES URBANE DUNNING, 



City Missionary, Chaplain at the Jail and House of Correction, and 
clergyman of the Methodist faith. Mission office, 205 Essex Street ; 
residence, 89 Newbury Street. Was for three years pastor the Gar- 
den St. M. E. Church — 1866-9. City Missionary and Chaplain at the 
Jail since 1872. Born at Ithica, Tompkins Co., N. Y., July, 1829. 
Married Harriet Frances Batchelder, 1858 ; has three children. (For 
history of early life and preparation for life-work see history of City 
Mission in this book.) Mr. Dunning has been stationed for pastoral 
work in New Hampshire as follows : East Sanbornton, (now East Til- 
ton,) 1854 ; Chester, 1855 ; Bethlehem and Carroll, 1856 ; North Hav- 
erhill, 1858 ; Haverhill, 1858-9 ; Enfield, i860 ; East Canaan, 1862-6 ; 
three years in this city and three years at Dover, returning from that 
place to Lawrence. 



HISTORY OF LAWREN'CE, MASS. T77 

Rev. George P. Wilson than whom the poor of the city never had 
a firmer friend, continued to hold the office of Missionary till April, 
1 87 2, when he resigned to accept a position in the Methodist Con- 
ference, stationed at South Boston. A little more than a year from 
that time, July loth, 1873, he sickened and died. His remains were 
lirought here fur interment, the funeral being held in the Garden 
street church. He was buried in Bellevue Cemetery, a beautiful 
monument on the eastern slope marking his resting place. 

At the same meeting of the resignation of Mr. Wilson, the board 
elected as his successor Rev. C. U. Dunning the present incumbent. 
Mr. Dunning came from Exeter, though he was no stranger, having 
been previously stationed over the Garden street church. He was 
peculiarly fitted for the position — reared in a Christian home in Utica, 
New York, first studying law and afterwards preparing for the minis- 
try. He was ordained in 1858 and had been appointed spiritual 
guide over eight different Methodist churches before accepting the 
position of Missionary. 



CATHOLIC SOCIETIES. 

Connected with the Catholic churches of the city are several or- 
ganizations for the promotion of temperance, mutual relief and charity. 
These have a numerous membership and usually on St. Patricks day 
they turn out in procession and make a very creditable display. The 
oldest of these is the Irish Catholic Benevolent Society, organized 
October 15, 1863. As its name implies its object is mutual charity 
and the disbursements for this object are upwards of one thousand 
dollars annually. 

The Father Mathew Total Abstinence Society is the largest society 
of its nature in Essex County. It was organized in 1869. Its presi- 
dent is Joseph T. Nichols. 



I yS QUARTER-CENTENNIAL. 

There are two lodges of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Nos. 
I and 8. These are beneficial organizations and weekly sick benefits 
of $5.00 per week are paid. The president of No. i is John O'Keefe 
and No. 8, John T. O'Connor. 

The Knights of St. Patrick embrace some of the most wealthy and 
cultured of the Catholic faith in the city. They have a handsome 
uniform and number about 100 members. The commander is Patrick 
Ford, treasurer Wm. H. Keefe. 

NEWSPAPERS. 

To write at length the history of the newspapers of the city 
would make an interesting chapter to those familiar with the business, 
but to the average reader it would be exceedingly dull. The career 
of none has been brilliant. All the early ventures were failures, and 
of the last decade their growth has only corresponded with the 
growth of the city. Considering the capital and brains required in 
their production no paper in Lawrence could be said to be a paying 
investment. But newspapers are not made, they grow. And some 
of those in this city are destined in the course of time to be powerful 
metropolitan sheets. 

J. F. C. Hayes was the man who inaugurated the newspaper enter- 
prise here. Early in 1846 he came to this city and set up a printing 
press in a partially completed block on Broadway. He soon threw 
out a little weekly sheet called the Merrimac Courier, afterwards 
called the Lawrence Weekly and Tri-Weekly Courier. He continued 
them for a few years and before they expired in 1862, they had been 
under the guiding hands of John A. Goodwin, Homer A. Cook, and 
Nathaniel Ambrose. They were finally merged into a paper called the 
Daily Journal, but soon expired. In January 1847, the Weekly Mes- 
senger, by Brown & Beckett, was transferred from Exeter, N. H., but 



HISIORV OF I^WRENCE, MASS. 1 79 

lived only about two years. Tiicn followed the Herald and the Van- 
guard, both Democratic papers ; the latter was published by Fabyan 
& Douglas, the former by .Amos H. SanipsL)n. After a time the 
Vanguard was changed to the Sentinel, which still continues under 
the management of .Abiel Morrison & Son. In 1854 the Home Re- 
view was started by J. F. C. Hayes, afterwards transferred to Frank 
Leath, but lived only a few months. In 1855 Geo. W. Sargent and 
A. S. Bunker began the LawTence American as a Know Nothing organ. 
Mr, Bunker soon sold out to Mr. Sargent for twenty-five dollars ; 
and Mr. Sargent was soon succeeded by Geo. S. Merrill, the present 
proprietor. In 1861 Dockham & Place began a daily paper, but it 
did not have an existence long enough to be worthy of the name of 
a daily pajier. 

In 1S67 the Essex Eagle was started by Merrill ^: Wadsworth, Mr. 
Merrill soon retiring, and has of late been local editor of the Sentinel, 
Mr. Wadsworth continued on, starting the Daily Eagle from the same 
oflfice, July 20, 1868. In 1873 ^""^ ^^^^ ^o^'"* P^pers to Hammon 
Reed, the present owner, Mr. Wadsworth still continuing with the 
paper. The Daily Eagle is the oldest daily in the city, the Daily 
American being issued the next evening. 

The Lawrence Journal, weekly, was started by Robert Bower as a 
labor organ in 1871, but was sold in 1877 to Patrick Sweeney, the 
present proprietor. The only papers in Lawrence to-day are two 
dailies, the Eagle and the American, and four weeklies, the Eagle, 
American, Sentinel, and Journal. 




HOFL^CE A. WADSWORTH, 

The compiler of this book and pioneer of successful daily journal- 
ism in Lawrence. Office, 307 Essex Street ; house 65 Tremont Street. 
Born in Milford, N. H., 1837. Came to this city in 1866. Started 
the Essex Weekly E.^gle, 1867 ; Lawrence Daily Eagle, 1868, and 
is still connected with the office. Has a wife and three children. 
Attends Lawrence Street. Congregational Church. 



CONTENTS. 



Prefatory, 3 

Chapter i, — Geography and Tojjography, 7 

Chapter 2, — Merrimack River, 12 

Chapter 3, — The Indians, 15 

Chapter 4, — Pearly Settlers, 21 

Chapter 5, — Beginning of the Enterprise — The P^ssex Co.,. . . . 39 

Chapter 6, — Andover Bridge— The oldest Corporation, 56 

Chapter 7, — The Churches, 66 

Chapter 8, — The Corporations 86 

Chapter 9, — Municipal Administration, 106 

Chapter i o, — Public Schools, 122 

Chapter 11, — The Courts — Public Library, 134 

Chapter 12, — Water Works — Fire Department — Navigation,. . . 137 

Chapter 13, — Orders and Societies, 143 

Chapter 14, — Minor Industries^ — Corporate and Incorporate,. . . 150 

Chapter 15, — Notable Events, 160 

Chapter 16, — Lawrence in the Rebellion, 165 

Chapter 1 7, — The City Mission — Catholic Societies— Newspapers, 1 75 



ILLUSTRATIONS AND PORTRAITS. 



Birds eye view of v'Uy Froiiti'^piece. 

Map of territory (KS45) Page 8 

Iciiac Tewksbury, (portrail) opposite 2'2 

.Arteinas W. Stearns, " 24 

James D Ilerricli, " 26 

Aaron Orilway, ■' 2S 

Asa M. Bod well, " 30 

Wm. U. Siialdinj:. " 32 

Steplien P. Siniinons, " 34 

Hezekiah Pliininur, " 36 

Charles S. Storrow, " 38 

Daniel Saunders, Sr., " 40 

Albert Warren, •• 42 

John K. Rollins. •• 44 

Daniel Saiindcri*, ■■ 46 

\Vm. II. P. \Vri-;ht, 48 

Alfred J. Frmeh, • 50 

Nnth'l II. P. Melvin, • 52 

Smith B. \V. Davis, " 54 

John K. Tarhox, " 56 

Robert H. Tewksbnry, " .. 58 

£. R. Ilayden, • 60 

Caleb Saunders, " 62 

James R. Simpson, " 64 

Thomas Clegg, •' 66 

George Packard, • ' 67 

James G. Abbott, " 68 

Joseph Shattuck, " . TO 

George Sanborn, " 72 

Luther Ladd, " , 74 

Silas H. Loring, " 76 

M.P.Merrill, " 78 

A.V.Bngbee, " SO 

James O'Doiiuell, •' 82 

St. Mary's Church, " 83 

.James E. Shepard, " 84 

Byroii Truell, " 86 



Lxxxiv Illustrations and Portraits Continued. 

Levi Emery, (portrait) opposite, 88 

Grauville M. Stoddard, " 90 

Albert R. Field, " 92 

J. Clinton Wliite, " 94 

Michael Rinn, " 96 

Lurandus Beach, Jr., " 98 

Thos. A. Emmons, " 100 

John K. Norwood, " 102 

Charles R. Mason, " 104 

John C. Dow, " 106 

Ebenezer B. Currier, •' 108 

Daniel Hardy, " 110 

DavidDana, " 112 

Samuel M. Davis, " '. .' 114 

James S. Barrie, " 116 

Euireue S. Yates, " 118 

Edward Caufy, " 120 

Gilbert E. Hood, " 122 

John F. Cogswell, " 124 

Albert D . Swan, " 126 

Albert F. Colbnrn, " 128 

Prescott G. Pillsbury, " 130 

William Stevens, " 135 

Nathan W. Harmon, " 136 

Moulton Batchelder, " 138 

Wm. E.Heald, " 140 

Albert Emerson, " 142 

D. F. Robinson, " 144 

Odd Fellows' Building, " 14T 

Wm.W.Colby, " 148 

Eben E. Foster, " .• v . . . 150 

John \V. Porter, " 152 

Mark Manahan. " " > 156 

Chase Philbrick, " 162 

Melvin Beal, " 166 

Smith M. Decker, " 168 

Daniel F. Dolan, " ITO 

L. N. Duchesney, " If 2 

Timothy Dacey, " l'i'4 

Chas. U. Dunning, " 176 

H. A. Wadsworth, " 180 



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